A Dark Corridor
by p.c. andrews
Summary: Draco Malfoy sent back in time, where he meets the Marauders, a younger Snape, and possibly even Voldemort! Now I've got the final chapter up, so enjoy!
1. The New Student

NOTE: I want to reiterate that this fiction is really RATED R! I'm warning you in advance of this because I know I put the PG-13 rating on the story. I purposely did this because I am quite annoyed that ffnet has decided to filter out all the R rated stories unless the browsing reader decides to switch the option to Ratings: all. Naturally I would like the widest audience possible to see that I have updated my story. Thanks for reading!

_All characters in this fiction are originally creations of J.K. Rowling._

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 1: The "New" Student

Draco Malfoy had been walking down one of the dark corridors between the Great Hall and the Slytherin Common Room quite a while before he realized that he was lost. He must have taken this corridor literally hundreds of times over the last five years he'd been attending Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and he hadn't gotten lost anywhere in the castle since he was a first year! He stopped walking and looked around the corridor. Looking behind him, he could see very little of what he had already passed. And when he looked forward, he saw virtually nothing because it was too dark and distant to make out. Draco approached one of the paintings, which, although unfamiliar to him, might be kind enough to help him find his way back to the correct corridor again.

One of the few paintings was of a bear and a unicorn dancing in a forest clearing. Draco watched them for a few seconds, then cleared his throat. "Ahem! Could one of you kindly point the way back to Slytherin's Common room? I'm quite sure I'm lost."

"Oh, you're not lost, lad," the dancing bear replied. "Just go through the corridor to the end, and open the big black oak door at the end of it. It'll take you right where you belong, you'll see..."

"Thank you..." Draco answered, as he furrowed his pale blond brows in puzzlement. He never recalled seeing a large oak door on the way to Slytherin Common room before...

Draco approached the door, and tried to open it. Naturally, the doorknob didn't budge. He took out his wand and muttered _"Alohomora!"_ This charm presumably would open a locked door, but unfortunately, the spell used to keep it locked was stronger than the spell Draco was using to open it. Draco sighed and rolled up his sleeves, as he was going to have to use a rather strong counter-spell to open this door. No stupid door was going to keep him from getting any sleep this evening!

He grit his teeth, and began uttering the spell he'd memorized from _Moste Potente Charmes_, (which he'd snuck into the restricted area of the library once to read). He then focused his powers, his very essence, through his wand, into the door knob, and into the depths of the mechanism. He could see the inner workings of the doorknob in his mind's eye. And he set about moving the parts inside the doorknob magically to unlock it. They were not going to move easily, as they had not been used in many years. But his magical powers were strong enough to counter-act that problem. The rusty old parts began to budge, and then, finally, snapped open. With an "Ah!" of triumph, Draco siezed the doorknob, which burned with magical heat, and turned it open.

He peered out of the door, and was thrilled to find that it was familiar territory once again. He smiled, opened the door wider, and walked into the corridor, and then shut the door behind him. He checked the knob once to make sure it was locked again, which, naturally, it was, and then he followed the group of students up ahead.

He was even more pleased to see Slytherin's Common room door. What a strange adventure he'd been on tonight! He'd have to tell Crabbe and Goyle all about it, although they probably would get all stupid about it and try to find the door again.

The group of students that were ahead of him had gotten to the door first. One of them said "Howler!" and the door opened. Draco blinked; he didn't know that the password for the Slytherin House had changed. Mystified, he approached the door once the others had already gone inside. "Howler!" he said clearly, and the door opened for him. He walked inside and looked around.

"Hey! Who are you? How did you get in here?" a student asked as he rose from his highback chair by the fireplace. Draco eyed the boy suspiciously; he'd never seen this boy before in his life. A girl that had been sitting next to the boy had also stood up. She was no more familiar to Draco than the boy was.

"I used the password, just like you did. What are you doing here? I don't recognize you!" Draco said in the haughtiest voice he could manage.

"Listen, here! You're the stranger, not us!" said the boy, who was just about Draco's height and weight but had curly brown hair cut close to his head and light brown eyes to match.

"Are you a Malfoy?" the girl interrupted, looking keenly at him.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am. And I've been attending school here for five years already. It's not like I've just walked in here off the street, although you seem to be acting like it." Draco frowned. He didn't like the looks of this boy. He looked like the kind of person that could get you to do just about anything he wanted you to do. Draco didn't understand how he knew this about him...

"This is the first time any of us have ever seen you in our lives," was the boy's snide response.

Draco was getting rather nervous. "Where's Crabbe and Goyle?"

The boy appeared very annoyed and astonished at the same time. "Freddy Goyle graduated two years ago, dipshit!" he told Draco.

"Not _Freddy_ Goyle, asshole! _Gregory_ Goyle!" Draco snapped back.

_"Who the fuck is Gregory Goyle!_" the boy yelled.

"The one who's going to kick your sorry ass in as soon as I find him!" Draco declared.

"Heh, why don't you kick my ass yourself?" the boy sneered back at Draco.

Draco shook his head, and in that instant, a flash appeared in his mind's eye. He saw a dark prison cell. He smirked, "If I tried to kick your ass, I'd wind up in Azkaban, because you'd be dead."

"Is that so, you little shit?" the boy hissed, then darted with his hands aimed for Draco's throat. In one smooth move that was so fast that the other students in the room barely saw it, Draco had the boy flat on his back. Draco was in his face almost as quickly.

"Bad boy. Don't make Draco Malfoy angry again!"

The boy yelled out in desperation, _"SNAPE!"_ A few seconds later, Draco looked up and saw a familiar face at last. Severus Snape, tall and thin, with nearly shoulder-length ink-black hair and eyes to match, was peering into the common room. He was already dressed for bed.

"Lestrange! What are you doing on the floor?" Severus asked. Draco stood up, and was more mystified by the appearance of Severus Snape than by anything else this entire evening. He was the same, but somehow, he was so very different. He was just as tall, but seemed a bit smaller. Younger...

"I put him there," Draco told Severus.

"Oh? Why?"

"Because he's a terminal asshole..." Draco declared.

"And it seems that you're the expert on them, right?" Severus quipped. Everyone in the common room chortled at that. Draco looked a bit sheepish, and everyone laughed a bit harder. He shook his head in disbelief that anyone would dare laugh out of him, then sat on a highback chair near the fire, and stared into it. His insides were twisting from the confusion.

"Who are you?" he heard Severus ask.

"He says he's a Malfoy," the girl advised him.

Draco turned around to face him, his eyes huge with shock. "You mean _you_ don't know who I am either? I don't understand any of this! Where has everyone _I_ know gone to?"

"Are you really a Malfoy, like Rachel here said?" Severus asked.

"Yes, I'm Draco Malfoy!" Draco told them all again in an exasperated tone.

"How were we supposed to know who you are?" Lestrange, the boy who'd been tackled by Draco, complained.

"You're related to Lucius Malfoy?" another boy asked him.

"Yes! I'm his son!" Draco reported. To this, not one of them said a word. They all appeared quite stunned. Finally Draco spoke again. "What's the matter with you lot? Don't you know me at all? Have I just stepped into some sort of parallel dimension or something?" he asked, giving voice to what was his fear at the moment.

"How old are you?" Severus asked at last.

"I'm sixteen!" Draco told him, as if he should have known that.

"Well," another boy drawled, "Ol' Lucius graduated from here about four years ago. He was eighteen years old back then. He always thought he was some kind of hot shot, but there's no way that even he could have been a father at age eight..."

Draco turned to face this boy, who had blondish hair even longer than Severus' was, and hazel eyes that held absolutely no warmth in them. "My father can't have graduated from here four years ago! He'll be turning forty-two this year!"

The others exchanged looks, and Severus asked Draco, "Did something happen on the way to the common room this evening, Malfoy?" His eyes glinted as he glanced at Draco's robes. "You have Slytherin's crest on you, and you seem to know your way around here, but none of us have ever seen you before. So, I can only conclude that something happened on your way to the common room tonight."

Rachel sighed and said, "What could have happened?"

Severus snorted and replied, "This is Hogwarts! Anything can happen here!"

"No, Sev! He's just playing a joke. He isn't Lucius Malfoy's son! He can't be!" Lestrange drawled.

"How do I know you're not the ones playing a joke? This is unbelievable!" Draco declared. "Do you mean to tell me that I took a wrong turn on the way back here from the Great Hall and ended up going to the Slytherin common room _about twenty years too early?"_

"Could be," Severus answered with a shrug. Draco sat down again because his legs were quite weak. This was too much, even for him. All of his friends weren't even born yet! And worse, his own father had just graduated Hogwarts himself, and was probably not even married to Draco's mother Narcissa yet. If Draco went to Lucius as he was in this time, he would be a stranger, and would not give Draco the time of day!

All of these things, bad as they were, paled in comparison to one, very disturbing thing. If it was true that Draco had traveled back in time, then that meant that he wasn't living in the 1990's any longer. He was back to the 1970's, and those years were when the Dark Lord's powers were at their height! And he knew that there were people, perhaps in this very room, that were secret supporters of the Dark Lord. It had been easy to pretend to his father (and everyone else) while the Dark Lord was in exile, but once he returned, Draco knew it would only be a matter of time before he would be sucked into the vortex of Voldemort for real. Draco hadn't actually had to deal with the evil wizard yet. What was in store for him now that he was in these times?

"I think we ought to take him straight up to the headmaster. I'll bet he knows how to get Draco back to his own time," Severus suggested.

Lestrange protested, "Why do we have to do that? I'll bet that he knows all about the future! He could tell me what's going to happen!"

Draco turned to the boy and said, "Lestrange, isn't it?"

"Yeah, Rodolphus Lestrange! What about it?"

Severus grabbed Lestrange by the arm. "Don't! You shouldn't ask him something like that! What if it's bad!"

"Don't be such a goddamned baby, Snape! Tell me!" Lestrange demanded.

Draco just realized at that moment why he had pictured a dark prison cell when he'd seen this boy, before he knew that this boy was Lestrange. It wasn't because _Draco_ would wind up in Azkaban for killing him, as he'd bragged earlier, but because it was Lestrange's destiny. He was doomed; Draco didn't recall all the details, but he knew that Lestrange and his wife would be sentenced to life sentences in Azkaban for something they'd done in service of the Dark Lord.

Draco simply said, "Your friend is a lot smarter than you are. It's best if you don't know..."

This statement would have caused a further tumult if Severus hadn't intervened. "I'm taking him to Dumbledore, now. This has to be fixed before something really bad happens!" And with that, Severus pulled Draco out by the forearm before any of the others could protest. Oddly enough, this wasn't the first time that Severus Snape had pulled Draco by the arm to lead him somewhere in this school. But that had been in another time, when Snape had been older, not Draco's age!

"Are you sure that old Dumbledore's not going to mind getting disturbed at this hour?" Draco asked Severus.

"Don't worry. Knowing him, he probably already knows we're on our way up. I notice that you have a prefect's badge on. Were you made a prefect too?" Severus asked. 

"Yeah. I thought that once I became a prefect I would at least stop making wrong turns in here. You know, it's weird; I didn't even see the door I came out of just before." Draco grew quiet as they made their way upstairs to the main floor.

"Peanut Brittle," Severus muttered, and the stone gargoyle statue that guarded the door moved aside smoothly. Draco inhaled sharply as he and Severus began ascending the moving staircase.

"I bet he's asleep," Draco groaned.

At the top of the stairs, the familiar presence of Professor Dumbledore stood in a bed robe and slippers. "Bet again, Mr. Malfoy."

"How did you know who I am?" Draco breathed with amazement.

"I've been expecting you to come up here ever since your arrival, Mr. Malfoy. Severus, I hope there wasn't much trouble?"

"Well, Lestrange and Avery got a bit antsy, especially once we'd worked out what had happened..."

"And precisely what," Dumbledore asked as he led Draco and Severus into his office, "did happen, Mr. Malfoy, if you please?"

And then Draco began to desribe what had happened. Dumbledore didn't seem fazed, though Severus had appeared quite shaken by the time Draco had explained about the locked door.

"You forced the door open with a spell? And when you opened the door, it automatically locked again when you left? Is this door still in that corridor?" Dumbledore asked Draco.

"No. I checked for it, so I could show someone this and make sure nobody thought I was making it up."

Dumbledore shook his head; his half-moon spectacles glinted in the light of his office. "I don't think you're making it up, Mr. Malfoy. But, I'm afraid there may not be much that can be done. If the door has disappeared, then you will not be able to get through it again unless it chooses to reappear. Until then, you will be stuck in these years."

Severus asked, "Professor Dumbledore, what made this happen? Do these things randomly happen? Isn't it dangerous?"

"In truth, I've never heard of anything like this happening before now. I like to think that it happened for a reason. Perhaps you are meant to do something in this time, Mr. Malfoy, and that was why you were taken back to this time and place."

"Do you really think so, Professor Dumbledore? But what could it be?" Draco gasped.

"Only time will tell the answer to that, Mr. Malfoy. Now, I suggest that you get a good night's sleep, gentlemen, and be prepared for your classes in the morning."

"All of my homework! All of my stuff! It's all back in the Slytherin Common room of the future! How am I even supposed to attend here without my father, who hasn't even married my mother yet, let alone had me, paying my way?" Draco asked in rising panic.

Dumbledore's blue eyes sparkled with mild amusement at Draco's worries. "Why, Mr. Malfoy, you are definitely on the school roster; that was how I knew you were arriving here. It appears as though everything is taken care of for the time being."

Draco nodded, because he couldn't think of anything else to say at the moment. "Severus," Dumbledore added just as they were making ready to depart, "take Mr. Malfoy with you tomorrow, since he and you have the same classes for most of the week." Severus nodded in agreement, and then he and Draco took their leave.


	2. Breakfast

_All characters in this fiction are originally creations of J.K. Rowling._

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 2: Breakfast

It had been very late before anyone in the Slytherin House got any sleep, since Lestrange, Rachel and Avery had gone and awakened just about everybody they could to tell them that there was a new student in their House that had time-travelled from twenty years in the future. They queued up to look at him, and talk to him. Draco had to be very careful about what he would reveal about what the world in his time was like. He didn't dare talk about Voldemort. He didn't want to speak his name or tell anyone what would become of him.

Hogwart's was a truly bizarre place, Draco thought; the fifth year's boy's dormitory had an extra bed, and his trunk, laid out for him by the time he got back into the room to turn in for the night. Draco fended off any more inquiries from his new dorm mates, and settled into a troubled sleep.

Dumbledore's words plagued him. What could he have been meant to do by being sent back in time? This is the sort of thing that happened to Harry Potter, not him! This was not his bag, saving the world. He wanted his comforts and his security. He didn't want to be in a place where no one knew him, and he had no family! He had no place here. But, did he really have a place in his other life? What was his place there? The leader of a band of thugs that had barely enough brains to fill a thimble halfway? The spoiled son of a very wealthy bigot who was a Death Eater? The boy who always lived in Harry Potter's shadow? These thoughts didn't make Draco feel very good at all. He firmly packed them away in a corner of his brain, determined not to think about it until he had time. He didn't have time now. He had a job to do.

* * * *

The first thing he did the next morning, after dressing and getting himself ready to go down to breakfast, was open his trunk and see if his broom, a brand new Nimbus 2002, was still there. And to his joy, it was! It was with this face of complete rapture that Severus and Lestrange found him as they pushed open their dormitory room door. "Holy shit, look at that broom..." Lestrange breathed as he rushed to Draco's side to examine it.

"'Nimbus 2002'?" Severus read from the gold lettering on the broomstick. "So, they changed it from the Cirrus series, did they?" he asked in the knowledgable way that a person who knew broomsticks would ask.

"Yeah, the Cirrus series died out by the time I was five. My first real broom was a Comet 150. A few years later, they came back out with the Nimbus series. The first one I got from that was a 2001. In between, another company started producing the Firebolt..."(an unpleasant reminder of Harry Potter flashed through his mind, but Draco squelched it.)"which is a great Quidditch broom, true, but when Nimbus came out with the 2002, I just had to get it instead. You couldn't fly better if you had wings than with this broom..."

"D'you play Quidditch?" Severus asked.

"I was Seeker for Slytherin in my time," Draco told them.

"Really?" Lestrange asked with very keen interest. "Were you any good?"

"Well, I won most of the games when I played," Draco answered.

Lestrange made a face. "I'll bet you're better than who we have now. Scared shitless of the Gryffindor Beaters. He won't even try to find the Snitch. We _had_ a supreme Seeker, but those worthless shits knocked a Bludger right in his face, and then he fell down from his broom _eighty fucking feet!_ And you want to know the best part? The bastards went and told Madame Hooch that it was _an accident!_ He's lucky he's alive at all..."

Draco grew very pale, which for him was quite an accomplishment, since he was already almost albino in color. "Oh my God! Was he hurt for a long time?"

"Six weeks in the Hospital wing..." Severus answered, with his voice sounding far off. "I still can't get on a broom to this day..."

Draco's eyes widened in shock. He never knew, in all the years he'd known Professor Snape, that he'd ever played Quidditch! Let alone that he'd been a Seeker, or that he'd been injured so badly that he wouldn't even use a broomstick after he'd recovered from his physical injuries. "Who were these two Beaters?"

"We'll point them out to you at breakfast," Lestrange assured him.

Draco's stomach growled; he was starving! He put his broom back into his trunk, and followed Severus and Lestrange out of their own dormitory and into the Slytherin common room. The common room, with it's low ceilings, green shaded lamps and highback leather chairs placed throughout the room, was just as Draco remembered it from his own time. Only the people in the room were all completely different. One of them, a tall thin young man who must have been old enough to be a seventh year, was pointed out by Lestrange. "Talk to him," he advised Draco, "he's Slytherin's team Captain, Roderick Simmons. Say, Roddy?" he then called, getting Roderick's attention.

He looked up from some of the other people he was talking to, and from the looks of the group, Draco surmised that they must be the other Quidditch team members. There was one girl, and four other boys. Two of them were built like Crabbe and Goyle; they were most likely the Slytherin Beaters. Another was a stout young man, who had to be the Keeper. Draco figured this out by seeing in his mind's eye an image of him hanging off a broom trying to block the red Quaffle. He guessed that the girl, the remaining boy, and Captain Roddy had to be the three Chasers. So where was the Seeker?

"Yeah, Lestrange?" Roderick asked him. He wasn't looking at Lestrange, however; his blue eyes were fixed squarely upon Draco.

"Guess what Malfoy here has been telling us? He's a _Seeker_, Roddy!" Lestrange explained in excitement.

Roderick stood up in undisguised delight. "Really? You any good?" he asked Draco.

"You should see the bitchin' broom he's got..." Lestrange went on.

"I was talking to Malfoy, Dolph, not you," the Quidditch Captain told him in an imperious tone. Then, Roderick saw Severus, and bowed his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't be talking about this now..." he muttered.

An expression came over Severus' face that Draco had seen literally hundreds of times before in his previous existance. The younger version of Professor Snape narrowed his eyes and snapped, "Don't worry about my 'tender feelings,' Simmons! Slytherin needs a good Seeker desperately, and you're doing our entire House a dishonor if you continue letting your misplaced guilt feelings get in the way of running the team!" Draco struggled to keep his jaw from dropping in shock. He remembered Marcus Flint, the old Quidditch Captain that he used to play with in his early Quidditch days. Flint would've flattened anybody that had dared accuse him of sabotaging the team. But this Roderick didn't flatten Severus, or indeed, answer his accusation at all.

"I wish we'd go upstairs, I'm famished!" Draco complained loudly to break the tension in the room. The other players seemed to jolt back to life, though none of them would quite look at Severus in the eye. Ignoring them, Severus held his head up and proceeded to lead the whole lot of them out of the room. Draco watched the others as they walked silently behind him to the Great Hall for breakfast. Off and on again, they each would give Severus a pitying look behind his back.

"Dolph? How long ago did this er, 'accident' happen?" Draco leaned over and murmured to him.

"Just earlier this school year. The first game of the season was a week after Halloween." Lestrange shook his head with the memory of it as they sat down to eat. Draco got the sense that the rest of the team, along with a lot of other people, considered Severus' 'accident' a tragedy. "You had to see him to understand it," Lestrange continued. "Snape was brilliant. Without a doubt, the best Seeker Slytherin's ever had, maybe even the best one _Hogwart's_ has ever had. He could've been picked for any national team. But now..." he sighed, "he won't even climb onto a broom. He's ruined. And it's all _their_ fault..." Lestrange ended darkly as his brown eyes narrowed at a few people at the Gryffindor table, who were paying not the slightest attention to the Slytherin table at all.

Draco looked over to the table, and had to catch his breath, because he couldn't believe his eyes. _"Potter!"_ he hissed with mingled horror and loathing. "How the fuck did he get here?"

"You _know_ him?" Lestrange gasped.

Draco immediately jumped up from his seat, knocking over his porridge, and strode with rage in every step over to the Gryffidor table. Because Draco's ears were ringing from pure fury, he only dimly heard Lestrange rouse Severus from his seat, to trot over behind Draco to the Gryffindor table.

"Potter!" Draco growled. Potter looked up from his breakfast with surprise in his blue eyes. And at that moment, when Draco saw the boy's face fully, and searched his forehead with his eyes for the scar, and saw none, he realized his mistake. "Oh, sorry, you're not Potter..." he apologised feebly.

"Yes I am..." Potter told him, standing up from his seat. "James Potter. And you are?"

"Draco Malfoy," he answered, offering his hand. James shook it. Despite the fact that his head was spinning from the fact that he was actually shaking Harry's father's hand, Draco took note of James' companions. One of them had black hair, like Potter and Severus did, but it was long and wavy, and he had golden eyes that made him look mystical. Draco thought sardonically that he'd be considered very handsome by the girls. Another one, to Draco's shock, was one he recognized. He had brown hair, without the gray in it that Draco had recalled, and he had grey eyes much like his own, only not as pale. It was Lupin, the werewolf! The last one was short, with thin hair that really had no color. He was on the porky side, and had stains on his robes from his breakfast.

"You must be new here," James said.

"I am, and I'm not," Draco answered mysteriously.

"What kind of answer is that?" asked the handsome one.

"An honest one..." Draco shrugged.

Draco noticed, suddenly, that Severus and Lestrange were at each of his elbows. Now, he saw James and his friends staring at Snape and Lestrange murderously. Draco understood it once he saw the porky boy squirm in his seat. These people were all involved in the traditional Gryffindor-Slytherin Rivalry. Draco smiled as he looked at Lestrange's and Severus' faces full of contempt. "Well, sorry I thought you were someone else, Potter. I guess we'll get back to our breakfasts, eh? Can't take this silly school stuff so seriously..." he suggested airily, and then led the way, with Lestrange and Severus in close persuit, back to the Slytherin table.

"What the _fuck_ were you thinking, shaking Potter's hand like that!" Lestrange spat at Draco as soon as they sat back down. Draco looked up and saw the rest of the Slytherin Quidditch team gazing back at him with disgust.

"Well, maybe you ought to tell me what I did wrong _this_ time!" Draco drawled while trying to clean up the mess he'd left at the table before.

"Maybe we should have Snape explain it to you!" Lestrange suggested with a definite tone of loathing in his voice.

Severus sighed, and appeared as if he didn't want to discuss the matter. Roderick looked at Severus with incredulous disbelief when he saw this. "Snape! Those bastards ruined you! Tell Malfoy what they did!" he demanded.

"He knows what they did!" Severus snapped.

"Wait a minute!" Draco ordered them. "Are you trying to tell me that..."

"That Jim Potter and Sirius Black are Gryffindor's Beaters? Yeah!" Lestrange growled. "They're the ones. And they are capable of just about anything..."

"And I suppose you'd know this because _you_ are capable of just about anything too, aren't you?" Draco muttered, unable to keep the knowledge of Lestrange's ultimate fate out of his mind at that moment. When Lestrange appeared as though he was about to make a nasty reply, Draco looked to Roderick. "Who _is_ our esteemed Seeker?"

"Evan Rosier is only our reserve Seeker, just a fill in, and he really can't cope with those two coming after him. We need a good Seeker for long term," Roderick told Draco as he shot the Gryffindor table another dark look. "Would you care to try out this evening after dinner?"

"Sure! I love Quidditch, and I don't think I could bear life in this place without at least having that..." Draco declared. All of the other Quidditch players glared at him again, apparently aggrivated by his insensitive remark. But before Draco could say anything more, Severus nudged him and then shook his head.

"They're always going to act like that," he explained to Draco quietly. "I wish they'd stop it."

"Don't you know how you can stop them from pitying you?" Draco asked Severus.

"No. How?"

"By getting up on your broom and flying again. By playing Quidditch again!" Draco answered, as if he couldn't believe that Severus could have lost his nerve so completely. "That's the only way!"

"I can't..." he said as shook his head. Draco had never seen it happen, but somehow, all the same, knew it was so traumatic that Severus would never forget the horror of it as long as he lived. "I just can't!" He rose from his seat and stalked off.

Draco watched him go, and then looked back at the Gryffindor table, where Potter and his companions chatted away without a concern in the world. Bile began to rise in his throat. It was amazing, he thought; no matter how much things change, some things just stay the same. If it was true that one of those boys was Sirius Black, then Draco knew that it couldn't have been an accident. After all, Draco knew what would happen to Black in the future. He was going to get sent to Azkaban for murder. He has it in him to kill. This just proves it; he's already gotten Potter to aid him in attempting to kill Snape, didn't he?

Draco looked up at the teacher's table, and saw Dumbledore looking at him with a keen interest. Was Dumbledore turning a blind eye to the Gryffindor's antics? Was he showing the usual favoritism that he had shown Harry Potter as well? Did he just have a soft spot for people that broke rules and were incorrigible show-offs? Was it at all possible to do anything about it? Dumbledore cast his blue eyes in Draco's direction, and grinned slightly. His half-moon spectacles twinkled with merriment. Draco simply nodded in response.

Someone came up from behind him. Draco turned and saw Professor McGonagall with his schedule in her hand. "So!" she said, "You must be the new student that Professor Dumbledore told us about! Here is your course schedule. I understand that you are fully caught up on all of these subjects; therefore, no testing will be necessary for placement." Draco was a bit taken aback. Though her demeanor was quite as crisp as it had always been, he was surprised at how very lovely she was.

"Sure, Professor McGonagall," he said, smiling as he took the card from her. She looked rather pleased that he knew, somehow, who she was. Professor McGonagall grinned tightly and departed. Draco watched her go, and he had to blink several times to get the vision of her out of his mind. Then, he looked at this schedule, which looked like it was a bit jumbled up from what it had been his time. For instance, normally on Tuesdays, he would have had Care of Magical Creatures next period with the dratted Gryffindors, but instead, he had double period Potions with them.

He looked up at the teacher's table again, this time, trying to see who else was familiar. He saw Flitwick, and Sprout, but of course, not Snape. Instead, there was a sour-pussed, balding, portly man in his place. Hagrid was at the end of the table, like he'd been before, and would be in the future. But Draco knew that he'd just be the Caretaker and Keeper of the Keys and Grounds, like he'd been before he took over as Care of Magical Creatures teacher. Draco was curious about how everything would be. So he pulled his book bag up onto his shoulder, and headed back downstairs to the Potions Dungeon.


	3. Professor Colton

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 3: Professor Colton

When Draco arrived at the Potions Dungeon, he saw many of his fellow fifth year Slytherins queued up outside. Severus was saying something to Evan Rosier, when Draco came up to him. Rosier was a quiet sort of boy, shorter than Draco was, with the kind of dark brown hair found on many people throughout the world. He was quite unremarkable.

"So, I hear you're going to be taking my place on the Quidditch team, eh? Well, good luck; you'll be needing it..." Evan muttered.

Severus gave Evan an imperious look. "He hasn't actually tried out yet, but if he does get in, Rosier, we expect your support."

"Sure..." Evan sulked. Draco became a bit annoyed with Rosier's attitude. If he wasn't such a lousy Seeker, then he'd still be on the team. The Captain has to do what he has to do.

"I hope you know that it's nothing personal," Draco said to him as some of the Gryffindor students arrived. Evan didn't answer at first, but when he caught sight of the notorious Gryffindor Beaters, Potter and Black, he shuddered.

"Right," he muttered even more darkly.

Draco looked at some of the other Gryffindors. The only boys were the four he'd seen earlier, Potter, Lupin, Black and that other kid. The other Gryffindors were all girls, and there were five of them. One of them had a pair of emerald eyes that so reminded him of Harry Potter that he couldn't believe it. Draco looked at Severus, who was staring at her with longing in his black eyes that shocked Draco.

Before Draco could comment, the sour-pussed teacher he'd seen in Snape's old place at the teacher's table appeared. Everyone fell silent as he passed them, and Draco frowned when he saw Severus' expression. It was one of sheer loathing.

When they marched inside, this teacher set his eyes on Draco. "So," he announced, "I have the privilege and honor of teaching yet another one of you brats. Very well. Partner up with Lupin there."

Draco blinked. "Brat? Don't you think I'm a bit long in the tooth to be called a 'brat?'" he asked.

This teacher smiled nastily. "Yes, perhaps you're right, you are a bit long in the tooth to be acting like a brat. Five points from Slytherin. Now take your seat, Mr. Malfoy..."

Too shocked that he'd lost points for Slytherin so quickly, Draco didn't say another word. He sat down at a big cauldron near Severus'. Remus Lupin sat down next to Draco, not looking very happy about it at all.

"Today we will be brewing wit sharpening potions. I expect that you all have done the assigned reading from Chapter 19, along with the essays on the uses of cat's claw." Draco had to struggle to keep his mouth closed. He wanted to say that he had gone over wit sharpening potions _in fourth year_ in Snape's class. "Mr. Malfoy, name the three types of ivy used in potions..."

Draco smirked and replied, "Common, Ground, and Poison, sir."

The sour-puss, who Draco still didn't know by name yet, sniffed and said, "Correct, Mr. Malfoy. It looks like we'll also be having a blond version of Mr. Snape in this class." Draco didn't speak, because he didn't want to lose any more points. "I just hope that you can keep Mr. Lupin from spraying the classroom with armadillo bile..."

Draco turned to look at Lupin, who looked even more unhappy than before. He wished that he didn't have to partner with him. He hated having a bad potions partner. Crabbe or Goyle were bad enough, but at least they didn't melt cauldrons.

With a sigh, he and Lupin began brewing. He let Lupin light under the cauldron, because that was a charm, not potion-brewing. Then, he began adding the water and nettle wine, which were by the gargoyle shaped sinks. Draco went to get them, and met up with Snape, who was partnered with Evan.

"Careful," Snape warned in a whisper, "Colton is a real asshole."

"Right..." Draco whispered back. He looked back, and saw Professor Colton giving them both the evil eye. Draco hurried back with the water and nettle wine, and then began having Lupin shred some blackroot and stir it into the cauldron.

"Looks pretty good so far..." Draco murmured.

"Aw... isn't that nice, you offering words of encouragement to this hopeless case of a wizard." Professor Colton said the words, but in the nastiest tone possible. "Five points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy. I do not allow talking in my classroom. I've been taking only five points per infraction so far because I do realize that you are new to this class, but from now on, I'll be taking ten each, Mr. Malfoy. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," Draco answered resentfully. Colton turned on his heel and started looking for more trouble with some of the other students.

Draco watched as Lupin carefully droppered some essence of Viper's Bugloss into the bubbling brew. This made it turn a beautiful shimmering purple. In spite of the fact that he was in a potions class being taught by Adolf Hitler, Draco smiled. Nothing could take away the thrill of his success with the potion; it was by far his best Art. He was dying to go over to Snape's cauldron to see if his was the same color. One thing that Draco didn't understand was Professor Colton's problem with Lupin; so far, he seemed fine.

"Mr. Potter, if you weren't so busy staring at that Mudblood classmate of yours, your potion would not be bright orange! Ten points from Gryffindor!" Draco dropped his ladle in the cauldron from shock. To hear a teacher call a student "Mudblood" was unbelievable! How did he get away with it? Especially with Dumbledore as headmaster?

Draco carefully took out his wand from his robes and, while Colton's back was turned, he pointed it into the cauldron. _"Accio!"_ he whispered, and the ladle snapped up into his dragonskin-gloved hand. He glanced aroung again nervously. Colton was prowling along the far right wall, looking over the Gryffindor girls cauldrons with a scowl.

"Having trouble with the armadillo bile yet, Lupin?" he barked from across the dungeon. Draco looked up at Lupin, who seemed frozen with uncertainty. Did Colton expect him to answer him or not? Just then, Draco smelled something coming from his formerly beautiful potion, which had abruptly turned white hot and was bubbling dangerously. Without warning, the entire cauldron began to melt!

Draco waved his wand, and the mess vanished very quickly, but Colton had seen what had happened, and the entire class now could smell the melted pewter... "What happened there, Lupin? Melted your cauldron _again_, did you? And here I thought that Mr. Malfoy was going to coach you through this lesson! That will be twenty points deducted from Slytherin and thirty points deducted from Gryffindor. And detention for the both of you. Perhaps now you'll finally understand how to conduct yourselves in my class."

Lupin looked extremely upset, perhaps as upset as Draco felt. He held his wand in midair in a state of shock. The entire disaster took less than thirty seconds to progress from start to finish. He glanced at Severus, who seemed to be gesturing at Draco about something. He couldn't figure out what it was. Was he pointing to his wand? Draco gave a start, and hurriedly put his wand back into his robe pocket.

The final fifteen minutes of class were spent with both Draco and Remus Lupin sitting at their desks looking extremely glum while the rest of the students continued brewing in agonizing silence. As Professor Colton swept past them to approach Snape and Rosier's cauldron, Draco followed with his eyes. Colton peered down into Snape's cauldron, made a face like he'd bitten into a lemon, but said nothing, and stalked off. Draco tiptoed very carefully while Colton looked for trouble elswhere in the class. He looked into Snape's cauldron, and grinned. Snape grinned back, and then Draco hurried back to his desk, while Colton rattled off complaints, like, "Sky Blue, Mr. Pettigrew? Well, I suppose it _is_ better than Mr. Lupin's potion came out, eh? Five points from Gryffindor, and before you open your mouth to protest Mr. Black, just be glad it isn't five _each_ for the three of you. Lord and Lady know Gryffindor can't afford to lose any more points today, eh? But don't worry, Mr. Potter. I'm sure Slytherin will lose it's lead very soon with Mr. Malfoy in their ranks now... With an attitude like his, they will not be getting far, that's for sure."

Draco gripped his wand in his pocket, controlling his impulse to incinerate Professor Colton right on the spot. But he told himself it probably wouldn't do any good; Colton would probably turn him into a ferret, like Professor Moody did last year, when he found out he was going to cast a spell behind his back.

Thankfully, the bell rang. Draco was never more glad to get out of any class ever in his life. This was an even worse class than the first day back at school in his second year, when Professor Lockhart called him "Drah-co" instead of "Dray-co" when doing roll call.

"Gad!" Draco growled, and Lestrange sniggered.

"Well, he'd better be good at Quidditch, because that's the only way he'll ever earn his keep for Slytherin..." Evan muttered.

Severus pulled him by the ear angrily. "Don't be an ass, Evan! You still don't get it do you?"

"Get what?" Evan squealed uncomfortably.

"Colton has no real control over the class," Severus told him.

"I dunno," Lestrange said as he shook his head, "Colton seems to rule the class with the proverbial iron fist."

"Don't you understand why that is?" Severus urged him.

"You lost me," Avery, the long haired blond boy, sighed. "Colton's just an asshole. You keep trying to give him a reason to be that way. Don't you know that sometimes there's just _no_ reason for someone's behavior?"

"Let's get going before we're late for Charms," Evan spat. "We don't need to lose any more points for Slytherin. I hope you know how to make it to your class, Malfoy!"

Severus shook his head as Evan hurried along ahead of the rest of them. "I don't get it. He hates going up on a broom every time he plays Quidditch. He even can't stand Hufflepuff's beaters, and they're marshmallows compared to Gryffindor's. He'd better stop acting like a little asshole, or he's going to get it."

"Let him be for now Sev, and later, I'll explain it to you," Draco promised him as they both walked into Charms class.

* * * *

"God, I've got to eat!" Draco groaned as the group of fifth year Slytherins made their way from Charms to the Great Hall.

"Well, you were so busy this morning, you barely got two mouthfuls in," Lestrange reminded him. "Just sit near us and ignore the Gryffindors, or you won't eat again."

"Good idea." Draco sat down, and his plate filled with Shepherd's Pie.

"Were you a real good student? Back where you came from I mean?" Lestrange asked Draco.

"Yes. Yes I was. In fact, there was probably only one other person in my year that could have possibly beaten me on an exam..." Draco trailed off. His mind became quite filled with Hermione Granger. He might never see her again. Why did this thought bother him so much?Stubbornly, he dug into his pie, and tried to force her out of his mind. He wasn't able to have her even when he was in their own times. But now, he couldn't even _see_ her. She did not exist!

Draco snapped out of his reverie, to focus on things that he actually could do something about. "Where's Roddy? I need to know what time to meet him out on the Quidditch field," Draco asked Perry Albright, the Keeper, as he passed by Draco's seat at the Slytherin table.

"Roddy says meet him right after dinner, just before it gets dark out. Other members of the team will be there too, especially the Beaters. We'll want to see whether you can dodge them..." he told Draco, then became very quiet and scurried off to where a bunch of fourth years were seated before Severus could notice his presence.

"Hmmm..." Lestrange said. Then, he eyed a boy taking his seat at the Ravenclaw table. "See that kid? Crouch?" Lestrange asked Draco.

"Which one is he?" Draco asked. He knew the name Crouch all too well. His father had known him in the Ministry.

"The blond kid next to that Indian girl. He's won Ravenclaw fifty points the other day, for breaking some sort of record for the highest score ever on an Astronomy exam. Could you believe it? And he's only in second year, too!" Lestrange spat. "It's just because his father's a big shot in the Ministry of Magic, y'know... It's just because of who he is. He could go to any damned school, and his father puts him in this one, because he knows Dumbledore. Faugh, it's so set up, this place..." he said bitterly as he waved his hand around at the other kids all eating and laughing and talking.

Draco decided not to answer Lestrange's accusations, though they very well were probably true to some extent. Instead, he stuck some food into his mouth, and looked up at Dumbledore. There he was looking at him again! What, was he expecting something to happen right then and there to show the world what a lousy no good Slytherin he was? Draco stared down at his plate.

"See, I told you. He's staring at me waiting to see if I get into trouble again. D'you know he's told Snape not to be my friend, because he feels I'm a bad influence," Lestrange told Draco, sounding almost proud of that fact rather than ashamed.

"Let's drop the subject, shall we? I want to get a few more pages read before we go to Transfiguration," Snape warned Lestrange. Lestrange made a face, and looked darkly at Avery. Draco noticed something about their look, as though they both knew about something that Snape didn't.

Draco frowned, looked up at Dumbledore, and saw him speaking to Professor Flitwick. What was going on in this school? Was there some sort of racket set up for certain students? In what direction was Draco's work in this time supposed to take him? He wasn't happy; he didn't wish to be involved in all this intrigue while he was trying to educate himself. It was very distracting. Resentfully, he picked up his bookbag, and rose form his seat when the bell rang, and he trudged along to Transfiguration with his fellow classmates with a whirlwind of thoughts blowing through his mind.

* * * *

After dinner that evening, Draco walked with a spring to his step with his Nimbus 2002 in hand. He was making his way to the Quidditch field, and Severus and Lestrange along with Avery were in tow as well. Avery chatted loudly with Lestrange about how fouled up their Arithmancy homework had become, while Severus walked in silence. Draco glanced at him, and realized that this couldn't be easy for him. Draco was meant to be a permenant replacement for Severus. Suddenly, his step was not quite so light.

"Quit dragging your feet," Severus chided Draco. "This could very well be a very important day in Slytherin's Quidditch future."

"How can you do it?" Draco suddenly asked him. "How can you be so strong about this?"

Severus gaped at Draco. "Strong? I'm not strong!" he retorted. Lestrange and Avery stopped their conversation in midsentence. "And, you were saying something before, something about why Evan's acting like a dumb shit. What were you talking about?"

"Rosier allowed himself to become a victim of Potter's and Black's hype. He's afraid of them soley from their reputation. I'm not afraid of Beaters; I've faced too many of them in my time to be scared of them." He thought of the Weasley twins, Fred and George, Gryffindor's 1990's Beaters. He remembered Marcus Flint going over all the possible moves a Beater might make against you, and all the counter-actions you could take in your defense. "We don't play Griffindor any more this year anyway."

"Oh, yes we do!" Severus told him. "Because of the accident, the game was postponed, as nobody had actually scored as yet." Draco thought about this for a moment. It was rare circumstances that a Quidditch game was postponed due to a player's injury, but, seeing as how there had been no score on the board at the time, it was an easy thing to just restart the game at another time.

Captain Roddy greeted them when they came into his view. He was a bit surprised to see Severus there, but he closed his mouth when he saw the rigid look in Severus' black eyes. "Right then? You have your broom?" he asked. Draco held up his Nimbus 2002, and Roddy's eyes widened.

"What did I tell you about that bitchin' stick of his, eh, Roddy?" Lestrange crowed. "Especially once it gets stuck up Potter's ass!" he added, and all of the Slytherins began to hoot and laugh in approval.

"Let's see how he flies it," Roderick suggested, as he mounted his broom, and had the red Quaffle in his hands as he took off. Draco mounted his Nimbus, and the others gasped as he took off. They had never seen such a smooth takeoff as that before. Draco breathed deeply as the cold twilight air rushed past his face and through his pale hair.

Roderick flew a bit higher, then hurled the Quaffle at Draco. Draco darted to the Quaffle's path, and caught it in his arms. Roddy glided to Draco's side, and Draco handed him the Quaffle. Roddy tossed the Quaffle again, to the right. Draco dove for it and caught it again. It was in this way that Roderick tested Draco a few more minutes. "You'd make a fair Chaser, Malfoy," Roderick declared at last. "But, now, I'm going to get my Beaters in the air. We'll start with tossing the Quaffle back and forth while the Bludgers are loose, and then, we'll get Ashton and Fogerty on you for real."

Draco nodded, and then took off higher in the air. Usually, that was where Seekers wound up hovering most of the game. Beaters, if they were any good, would have to be able to play the entire field, high and low. Ashton and Fogerty took off on their brooms like twin boulders launched from a cannon. The black Bludgers followed, erratically zipping like drunken bees. Roderick began tossing the Quaffle again, and Draco caught it, while ducking a Bludger passing just over his head. He delivered the Quaffle back to Roderick just as the next one whizzed past him. Draco could hear it in the air behind him.

Ashton and Fogerty had been watching all this time, but now, they sprung to life. Draco saw them coming, and whisked away on his Nimbus 2002. He could vaguely hear people down on the ground, screaming to Ashton and Fogerty about all the moves that Potter and Black use on their "victims." Draco had always believed that no Gryffindor would play as dirty as a Slytherin, but he supposed he could be wrong. Roderick had to chase him along, and hurled the Quaffle as far as he could. Draco sliced through the air, while Fogerty began gaining on him. Draco heard the crack of the Bludger against the bat, but artfully dodged his Bludger.

Despite the moonlight bathing them with it's glow, they would have to return to the castle, so the tryout ended as soon as the Bludgers were retrieved from far parts. Draco landed softly, and the other people from his dorm who had come to watch him try out wanted a turn on the broom. Roderick and Draco watched as Lestrange happily mounted the Nimbus 2002 and soared into the air. Avery smirked while watching Lestrange do loops, and Severus stared with his mouth slightly open, apparently in mild shock.

"I wish he'd come down; we have to get in," Roderick complained. Ashton and Fogerty were finished wrestling the Bludgers back in to the case.

"We'll get 'im down," Fogerty told Roderick.

* * * *

All the while that it took for everyone to return to the Slytherin Common room, Lestrnge whined about the unfairness of his life, and how Ashton and Fogerty had treated him like a baby. With a terse word from Severus about how he _was_ acting like a baby, the two groups parted ways and went to their own dorms. When Lestrange, Draco, and Severus came in, Evan was already in there.

"Well?" he asked them. Severus didn't need to ask what he was talking about.

"It looks like he's in, Rosier."

Evan's face looked like he was halfway between crying and jumping for joy. Lestrange sneered and said, "Well, it's your own doing, Rosier. If you can't take the heat, as they say..."

"Rodolphus!" Severus snapped, "don't rub salt in the wound!"

Evan pouted and turned into his bed. He closed the curtain around him, and shut the rest of them out.

Draco got ready for bed in silence. How would Evan take his being removed from the team? He seemed glad to be relieved of the burden, and yet, he didn't like relinquishing the prestige of being on the house team. He felt badly for Evan, and yet, he didn't. As he turned in for bed himself, he glanced at Severus. Why didn't he seem to be sulking over losing his career in Quidditch? Could it be that Quidditch was not the be all and end all that he'd always thought it was? He had a bad night's sleep that night. He kept dreaming that Evan and Rodolphus were flying after him with Beater's clubs in their hands, and they swatted him down like a pesky insect.


	4. Detention

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 4: Detention

The next morning, Draco received a note by owl that his detention for Professor Colton would be at nine o'clock that evening. Draco was kind of glad to be getting it over with tonight; he didn't have Quidditch practice until tomorrow evening. He figured he'd probably have to serve it with Lupin, the werewolf. Thoughtfully, Draco took another bite of toast. He bet no one in school knew about it. It sure would be interesting if that little tidbit had gotten out...

"You look really pleased with yourself! What's going on?" Lestrange asked.

"Nothing yet, but believe me, Dolph, if anything does happen you and Severus will be the first to know..."

"Say, did you know Severus before or something?" Lestrange asked, "because you seem to have taken to him really fast. Faster to him than anyone else..."

"And what if I did?" Draco frowned slightly.

"How did you know him?" Lestrange pressed.

"I can tell you no more than that he was a family friend. I'm worried if I tell you too much more that I might change something I shouldn't. I could accidentally change the future if I'm not careful..." Draco said, giving voice finally to the biggest fear he'd had since arriving in this Hogwart's of the past. "But I'll tell you this; I had no idea that Severus had ever played Quidditch. He never mentioned it to me or my father in all the years we've known him."

"Hmm..." Lestrange mused. "Well, anyway, he had to have been a grown man when you knew him, then. Was he a big shot in the Ministry or anything like that?"

"I told you, I can't tell you what he will do. For all I know, it might have changed anyway."

"Couldn't have been too close to him if you didn't know that he used to play Quidditch..." Lestrange pointed out. Draco tried to ignore the comment, and what Lestrange way trying to imply. He looked up at the teacher's table. Colton paid him no attention, but was scowling at some other student at the Hufflepuff table. Dumbledore was speaking to McGonagall. She had a very becoming shade of blue on today. She was head of Gryffindor House even in these times, wasn't she? It was then that Draco realized that he hadn't even _met_ Slytherin's Head of House. He had no idea know whe he or she was! He'd ask Severus in Divination today what was going on...

As it had in Draco's day, Divination took place in the top of the North Tower. The teacher was not Professor Trelawney, but among the mist and incense, a very aged old witch drifted into the class. She did not bother to introduce herself to Draco, nor did she bother that a new student was in her class. She told everyone that today's lesson was simply to resume working on their dream interpretations.

He sat with Severus, and was glad that Lestrange had not taken this class with them. For a few moments, they just sat there. Some of the class began speaking softly to eachother. The professor was at the front of the class, gazing into her crystal ball very quietly. For all Draco knew, or cared, she could have been asleep.

"Hey, Sev?" Draco asked.

"Hm?" Severus muttered. He seemed to be paging through his dream journal quite intently.

"Who is our Head of House?" Draco asked.

"It's Professor Foxworth, our esteemed Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He's a bit too busy vampire slaying to be bothered with the likes of us. But that's fine; we Slytherins take care of ourselves."

Draco was dying to say to Severus, _No, you took care of us!_ But instead, Draco clamped his mouth shut and took out his journal...

* * * *

After a very short lunch, Draco followed Evan and Lestrange to Care of Magical Creatures. This was the one class of his that Snape wasn't in. As they walked past Greenhouse Three, Lestrange rambled about how he most likely flunked his Arithmancy test, and how Avery, if it was possible, had probably screwed it up even worse. Draco began grinding his teeth as he listened.

"And then, at the end of class, Professor MacKay finally said, _You're as hopeless at this course as the Pettigrew boy!_ Boy was I pissed!" Lestrange concluded. Evan smirked and nudged Lestrange. With apathy, Draco followed thier gaze as some of the Gryffindors approached.

"Look Remus, it's El Strange and the new kid..." Sirius Black smirked.

"Did you get the note about detention at eight o'clock this evening?" Remus Lupin asked Draco in his usual quiet way. He looked pale and a bit ill, but then again, Draco couldn't recall anytime he hadn't seen Lupin looking like death warmed over.

"Yeah, he did, no thanks to you, Loser Lupin!" Lestrange cut in.

"Butt out, Dolph!" Draco spat, then turned to Lupin. "You're just lucky that I don't have Quidditch practice tonight," he added loftily.

"Oh, so you're the one who's going to replace Rosier, eh?" Sirius asked with a bit of sarcasm in his voice. "Well aren't you just the little Wonderboy of Slytherin?"

"And don't think I'll let you make chopped meat out of me like you did to Snape, because it isn't going to happen," Draco declared.

"When are you Slytherins ever going to let that go? It was an accident!" Sirius told Draco.

"Yeah, go tell it to someone who believes it, Liar!" Lestrange snarled.

"Lestrange!" Draco complained. Then, when Lestrange was reduced to glaring evilly at the two Gryffindor boys, Draco continued, "Who's your Seeker? Him?" he asked, sneering at Lupin.

"Oh, no, I don't play Quidditch..." Lupin shook his head. Of course, Draco thought to himself, if Lupin had to play a Quidditch match on a day when he might turn into a werewolf that night...it would be a disaster if the game went into overtime. "A second year, you probably don't know him. His name's Lockhart."

Draco burst out laughing. "What? Gilderoy Lockhart? Are you serious?" he bellowed.

"Why? How do you know him?" Sirius demanded. But Draco was too busy laughing hysterically to answer them, or to even notice that the teacher, Professor Kettleburn, had arrived.

Sirius wasn't going to let the Slytherins have the last word, however. "How do you know if he's good or bad as a Seeker? He hasn't even had a chance to play a full game yet with the way the schedule's been."

"Yeah, well who's fault is that, you fucking _murderer!"_ Lestrange spat.

"Mr. Lestrange! That will be ten points from Slytherin for your language! Now, tell your hystrical classmate to get up before he gets run over by our Streeler..."

"Huh?" Draco gasped as he sat up and saw a gigantic snail-like creature with a shell that looked like it was cut from a glittering emerald. And it was poised right above him...

* * * *

For the rest of Care of Magical Creatures, Draco wondered just how he was going to get this slimy Streeler Juice off his robes. Later, when he returned to Slytherin House, he complained bitterly to Severus and Lestrange about the injustice of his detention when he had done absolutely nothing wrong. He railed about the benign neglect that Slytherin House experienced at the hands of Professor Foxworth. Lestrange shrugged indifferently, and Severus shook his head unhappily. Draco thought he might have gotten through to at least one of them. And it was with this bit of hope in his heavy heart that he reported to the Potions Dungeon at nine in the evening.

When he got there, Professor Colton was there already with Remus Lupin. Draco watched the other boy fidget and fret, like he had to go to the bathroom and was trying to hold it. "So good of you to join us Mr. Malfoy. I thought I'd have you and Mr. Lupin scrub the area of the floor where his cauldron melted. With these," he grinned evilly, as he handed Lupin and Draco old dirty toothbrushes. "Courtesy of Mr. Filch..." Colton added.

"But, Professor, I can't do this tonight! Professor Dumbledore won't let me stay here..." Lupin pleaded.

"Stop carrying on, Lupin. You'll be just fine down here. And I'm quite sure Mr. Malfoy can help you with your cleaning; he seems to Slytherin's newest star. I'm sure he's got plenty of _tricks_ for taking care of himself..." Colton smirked. Then, he swept past them. Lupin stood there with a slack jaw, and Draco didn't seem to be feeling much better. "I am not going to sit here and bore myself to absolute death watching you two scrubbing . Therefore, I'll be locking you in here, just to make sure you don't leave here before that spot is immaculately clean. I'll have Filch check on you two later..." he said, then departed. the door shut with a terrible thud, and Draco ran over to try and open it. To his chagrin, it was indeed locked.

Behind him, Draco heard someone gasping for breath. He turned around and saw Lupin in the throes of what looked like a panic attack. "I can't stay in here! Please let Dumbledore be on his way down here..."

"Listen, just calm down. I don't like getting locked in this classroom any more than you do... Hey, let's not act like a spaz about it..." Draco frowned as he saw Lupin's panic attack grow worse and worse. What could be bothering him so much?

"Dumbledore...has to get here..." Lupin breathed while twisting the edge of his robes with apparent fright.

"Why does Dumbledore have to come down here? What the hell's gotten into you?" Draco demanded. Lupin dashed off into a corner, as far from Draco as possible. "What are you doing going over there?" Draco asked Lupin.

Lupin called, "Stay away from me, don't come any closer!" He was silent a few seconds, then, he said in a strangled sort of voice, "I'm sorry! So sorry..."

"Sorry about what?" Draco asked, and then, it dawned on him with horror. "Oh God! Tonight is the night of the full moon!"


	5. The Night of the Full Moon

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 5: The Night of the Full Moon

Frantically, Draco ran to the dungeon's door and began pounding on it. "Let me out of here! Help! Filch! Let me out of here!" he yelled. In the corner, he heard Lupin wailing in agony. His own heart was racing at top speed. Draco had no idea what to do in this situation. He'd never been taught how to defend himself against a werewolf attack!

He looked around in panic. A low growl emerged from the corner, and Draco felt his heart leap into his throat. Lupin now appeared, walking slowly, like he was stalking something. He'd made his transformation. Draco listened in horror as Lupin's growl lengthened and became more vicious. Without breathing, Draco edged back, very slowly. Lupin merely watched Draco with a snarl.

Draco had his wand in his pocket, and his grip on it threatened to snap it in half. He still backed away, and hoped that if he made no sudden movements that he'd not set Lupin off. This worked for a short while. At least, long enough for Draco to back into Colton's desk. He bumped against it, and it scraped against the stone floor.

This noise jolted Lupin out of his calm mood. He lurched forward, leaping after Draco, who scrambled to a bookcase. In desperation, Draco climbed up the bookcase, praying that it didn't tip over. Lupin snapped his deadly teeth not one inch from Draco's left foot. To hold Lupin back, Draco grabbed a book and threw it at him. Lupin yelped in pain as the book hit him squarely on his muzzle. This gave Draco just enough time to reach the top.

Panting, Draco watched the maddened werewolf below him howl in fury. How did he get himself into this mess? He watched as Lupin furiously tried to climb up the bookcase to reach him. What spells would work on werewolves? Surely he hadn't been taught one, Draco thought.

Lupin let out a great bellowing howl, which made Draco's insides grow cold with fright. It almost sounded like Lupin was trying to talk through his wolfen state. Draco's heart threatened to pound right out of his chest when Lupin began to leap up against the bookcase. The furniture shook with the impact. Damn if the werewolf wasn't trying to knock the bookcase down to get to Draco!

Draco couldn't decide if he was more furious than frightened. In desperation, he grabbed a few of the books that still remained on the top shelf. He flung one down at Lupin, which hit him in the nose. "That's for Professor Bloody Quirrell!" Draco raged. Lupin rebounded, and the bookcase shook again. "And that," Draco yelled as another book descended on Lupin's head, "is for Professor Lockhart!" Lupin growled, and another book landed on his back. "And that's for Professor Moody, who wasn't even really Professor Moody!" Draco panicked when he realized he had only one book left. But, he threw it anyway, hoping to knock the werewolf out with it. "And this is for _you!_" he cried as he hurled it down, "who didn't even even teach me how to defend myself against _you!"_ Unfortunately, the book never even hit Lupin. He sidestepped it.

"Bastard!" Draco hissed. He gripped his wand, and Lupin threw his body against the bookcase. It jolted, lurched forward, and Draco made a wrong move forward, which upset the precarious balance he had on the top. The bookcase came crashing down. Lupin had scrambled away from the descending bookcase, and as soon at it crashed down, the werewolf surged forward.

Draco crawled away, but Lupin was way faster on four legs than Draco was on hands and knees. Lupin's hot breath was in Draco's face before he knew it. _"Incendio!"_ Draco bellowed and pointed his wand at Lupin's tail. It caught fire, and Lupin began chasing his tail. It gave Draco time to scurry away and take better aim.

Lightning quick, Lupin realized that Draco was going to try and cast another spell on him, so he ignored his smoldering tail and hurled himself at Draco before he could utter another word. Draco was knocked down, and Lupin had just missed tearing Draco's face off. And that was when the oddest thing in the world happened.

Suddenly, a huge black beast sailed past him, knocking Lupin back. Draco slowly sat up amidst the growling and barking. He realized that the black beast was a dog. _How had it gotten in here?_

Draco edged away as the black dog and the gray werewolf growled at eachother. He thought this was most strange, until he saw something even more weird. A great stag stepped over him, and prodded the werewolf with its antlers.

Even more strange was a fat gray rat that scurried across the stone ground and sunk its teeth into the werewolf's foot. Lupin began trying to kick the rat off its foot, while trying to fend off the dog and the stag's antlers poking him this way and that way. The stag was prodding Lupin out the door.

Draco gaped, as he'd never seen animals act this way before. For a while, the animals' efforts seemed to be working, because Lupin was making his way toward the door. But then, it seemd like Lupin had remembered that there was a human being in the room that he was leaving unbitten, and he whirled around and bounded for Draco again. The dog barked furiously and the stag galloped to stop Lupin, but Lupin sidestepped the stag and dove for Draco's legs. Draco leaped away, and the dog chomped down on Lupin's tail. This made Lupin howl in anguish, and anger. He spun around to chase the black dog, who had ran out the door. The stag stooped his head, and the rat climbed onto its antler. In seconds, they were all gone, and Draco rushed to the door. He watched the very odd menagerie scramble down the hallway.

Draco dared to step out the door, and then, a new group swooped down on him. One was Professor Dumbledore, and another was Filch. Draco hadn't seen him in this time before now, and therefore was a bit surprised to find him looking so much younger. The third was a fellow that Draco didn't know. He was a big, powerful looking wizard, with very grave, serious features. It was this third fellow who asked Draco, "Where did Lupin go?"

"That way..." he pointed down the corridor. The wizard took off quickly.

"Mr. Malfoy, are you hurt? Do you need to go to Madame Pomfrey?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not unless she's got a very good supply of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey; I intend to get good and drunk!" Draco declared. 

"Come with me, then." Dumbledore led Draco upstairs, then to his office. By the time Draco got there, some of the numbness of shock had worn off, and he was growing more and more angry.

Draco was seated in front of Dumbledore's desk, and the headmaster sat behind. For a few moments, neither of them said a word. Then Dumbledore looked into Draco's eyes, and could see the roiling emotions in them. "Mr. Malfoy, just speak. Tell me what's on your mind."

"You _know_ what's on my mind!" Draco growled.

"You need to get it out anyway, Draco," Dumbledore advised him. "You are furious, and you have every right to be."

"The Firewhiskey," Draco urged.

"I don't think that's a very good idea, Draco," Dumbledore told him gently.

Draco drew a deep breath, but before a word could come out, the big heroic wizard burst into Dumbledore's office. "I can't find him anywhere! There's no sign of him!" There was no need to say who he was talking about.

Dumbledore stood up in alarm. "We absolutely must find him!"

Draco stood up as well. "He was with a bunch of animals!" he told them.

They both appeared stunned. "Animals? What kind of animals?" Dumbledore asked.

"One was a big black dog. Another was a stag. And there was also a rat," Draco told them.

"I'll have Filch and Hagrid cover the grounds. I'm going to look in the usual place..." the big wizard told Dumbledore, then left again.

"What 'usual' place is that?" Draco asked the headmaster.

"The Shrieking Shack, in Hogsmeade."

"Ah..." Draco's head was spinning too much for him to even grasp that the reason the Shrieking Shack ever shrieked in the first place was because of Lupin. He couldn't even appreciate, until much later, how much planning had gone into Lupin's attendance of Hogwart's with his affliction. All he had on his mind was one thing.

"I just have one question, Professor Dumbledore. Do all the teachers know about Lupin?"

"No, not all of them," Dumbledore admitted.

"Does Colton know?" he asked.

Dumbledore said, "I can't tell you whether or not he knows, because I _don't know_ if he does or not. But I can tell you this. If we don't find Lupin very soon, not only will a lot more people know about him, but everyone in this building is in terrible danger." He swept his magnificent blue robes past Draco. "Please excuse me."

Draco left Dumbledore's office a few seconds after he did. He didn't need Dumbledore to tell him that Colton knew _damned well_ about the catastrophe that would take place tonight. Which could only lead him to the conclusion that Colton was trying to kill him.

Why would he do that? What sort of threat was Draco to him? For a few seconds, he racked his brain, and then realized that the was _one_ person who might be able to answer his questions. As he looked up the corridor, he saw students being led to their dormitories rather forcefully. Prefects scurried around, most likely having no idea why they were ordered to round up every student in the building.

One of those prefects was Severus. He was prodding some third year Slytherins and some first year Hufflepuffs on their way. Draco was on his way to speak to him, closing the distance with the question of what Severus knew about Colton uppermost in his mind.

"Snape, I've got to ask you something! It's about Colton," Draco told him as he joined him at the bottom of the staircase.

"Draco do you have any idea what's going on? Oh, there's Professor Foxworth. Maybe he knows..."

It was the burly wizard. "Mr. Malfoy! There you are. Come here just a moment." He more or less dragged Draco away from Severus. He smiled tightly. "Dumbledore had told me that you needed a drink. Of course, he wouldn't approve exactly if he heard that I'd given this to you, but after the hellish night you had, I'm sure it will be just the thing..." he told Draco, winked, and handed him a flask. Draco grinned, unscrewed the flask and took a long swill. He winced, and then smacked his lips. Odd. He'd had Ogden's Old Firewhiskey once, when he'd snuck a sip from his father's glass while they weren't looking. It had tasted more robust than this. "Feel better now?" Professor Foxworth asked.

"Um, yeah?" Draco said, sounding like he was guessing.

"Mr. Snape, anything you want to say?" Foxworth asked him sharply.

"Um, no?" he responded much like Draco had.

"Then, I suggest you both return to Slytherin House for the night. Don't leave, and don't let anyone else go either. Understand?"

Both Draco and Severus nodded mutely. Foxworth stalked off, and Severus turned to Draco. "What were you going to ask me about Colton?"

"Hm? I was going to ask you something about Colton?"

"Yes, dammit! You said that you had to ask me something, that it was about that bastard. What is it?" Severus demanded.

"You know, it must not have been that important, because I don't remember now," Draco told Severus.


	6. Secrets

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 6: Secrets

Draco and Severus returned to Slytherin house, just as they had been told to do. But they did not retire, though it was growing late. Thankfully, there were not too many kids left in the common room, and even better, none of them were from fifth year. Roderick was there, however.

"Don't stay up too late; we've got a practice tomorrow," he reminded Draco. Draco had remembered that much. Severus though seemed to be making a big deal about something, but he couldn't remember what it was.

Severus' black eyes were resting on the metal flask that Draco was holding. "Didn't Professor Foxworth give you that?"

"Yeah," Draco answered with that uncertainty in his voice.

"What is it?"

"I...I'm not sure..." Draco admitted. Severus took it from him and unscrewed the top. He then sniffed the contents. His black brows furrowed, and his mouth thinned until it nearly disappeared from his face.

He shook the flask to test how much was left inside. "Unless I am very much mistaken, this is a forgetfulness potion," he concluded.

Draco's insides went cold. "What?"

"And from the looks of it, " Severus continued, "there's enough in here to make you forget your god damned name! What the hell was Foxworth about, giving you this? It's a damned good thing you didn't drink all of this. You wouldn't remember where you are, or your age, or anything!"

Draco held his stomach, like he wanted to vomit. "It's no good; I can't do it. Help me find out what I do remember," Draco begged Severus. As a result, they spent half the night going over Draco's memories, to see how much was impaired. Severus had to remind him of the mysterious door, and that he was transferred there from a future time. But once he was reminded, Draco's own mind began to fill in blanks.

"Are you even remembering tonight? Do you remember what you were doing tonight?" Severus asked him.

"I remember a toothbrush...and books," Draco told him. "I guess I was going to study for that Transfiguration test, and then brush my teeth and go to bed."

"Draco," Severus said harshly, "you had detention tonight with Remus Lupin. Don't you remember anything about that?"

"Oh, detention? Was it with that boring Lupin kid? I guess it wasn't very eventful, because I don't recall anything exciting going on."

"Really? Don't you think it's strange that all the prefects had been called out to round up everyone and get them into thier dormitories before ten? Is it coincidence that you can't remember your detention for Colton on the very same night? Why are your robes covered in slobber? It looks like you had a fight with a drooling dog!"

"I...don't remember," Draco concluded feebly.

"Well, I know one thing for absolute certain. You were going to ask me about Colton. Even though I can't be sure that you were going to ask this particular question, I can only guess that you wanted to know what I know about him. Well, I can't answer you in a direct way, but I can say this. Look at his aura. There is someone else you know of that has an aura like his. Look at everyone around you, even the teachers and staff here. Especially the staff. It will answer the question of why he tried to control the class the way he does."

"Colton hates me, and I don't know why," Draco admitted.

"So, you remember that much, do you? Well, he's jealous of me, with my skill at the Art of potionmaking, as well as another talent that I believe you share with me. It's that Talent that he's so frightened of; it's what told me what I know about him," Severus warned Draco.

"I wish you'd be little more direct with me. I don't understand what you mean."

"Then I'll help you understand, Draco. When you first came here two nights ago, I can tell you Saw something when you looked at Lestrange. What was it? Do you remember?" Severus demanded.

Draco thought back, and he _could_ remember that encounter. He recalled the vision that he had seen in front of his eyes of Lestrange in Azkaban, even before he knew who he was. "I can't tell you that; it might change the future..." Draco answered.

"That," Severus said, "is exactly why I cannot tell you directly what I know about Colton. Just know what I told you so your answers can come on their own."

Draco had almost forgotten about his talent as a Seer. Professor Trelawney had given him very high marks for his use of the crystal ball; because he was able to tell her of very accurate visions he's had while pretending to use the crystal ball to See into the future. "I understand now, Severus. I'm so tired..." he admitted.

"Yeah, you'd better get to bed before Simmons jumps down my throat for keeping you up all night..." Severus muttered. His own mind was not still as he watched Draco crawl into his bed and pull the curtains around him. Something defintely happened tonight, and it had to do with Lupin in some way. He was going to get to the bottom of it, though. no matter what it took...

* * * *

"Look sharp, Malfoy!" He heard Ashton crack the Bludger in his direction. Draco swirled to avoid the black ball from breaking his head open like an egg. He saw a glint of gold darting around , but wasn't inclined to get it just yet. He'd wait until the time felt right. He had a great deal on his mind anyway. His sleep had been full of dreams that he was being chased by werewolves and that he was throwing books at them to hold them off.

Another Bludger whizzed by him. He ignored it and aimed down with his Nimbus 2002, anxious to end this game suddenly. He disregarded the Quaffle being tossed at the goal, and passed it right by. He swooped down and eyed the Snitch with wary determination. As if sneaking up on it, Draco glided silently to the Snitch and clasped it in both hands like one would catch a firefly.

"Good work Malfoy. Keep practicing men," Simmons called out.

"And woman!" yelled the lone female Chaser of the team.

"Don't you know you're one of the guys?" Simmons complained. Luckily, the battle of the sexes ended there, and not because either she nor Simmons was ready to give up the fight, but because Professor Foxworth came striding out with an expression of rage on his face. "I ought to be taking five points off Slytherin for each of you for disobeying me! I told you that you were under no circumstances allowed to go out on the grounds!" he bellowed.

"But we have to train up our new Seeker!" Simmons protested, amidst other wails from other tem members about being cooped up _another_ night in Slytherin House for no good reason.

"Your _Seeker_ looks like he's ready to drop dead off his broom, even in this bad light. Now get down here and get inside, all of you!" he ordered them. Draco sank down, along with the others, and sighed as he gave up the Golden Snitch. It didn't matter. Even Quidditch wasn't taking his mind off things anyway.

"Are we still in this 'danger' that you keep telling us about?" Draco asked him. Foxworth gave Draco a very stony look in response, and said nothing.

Later, in their dorm, the fifth year Slytherin boys got ready for bed. Draco slowly closed the book on Reversal of Memory Charms that he'd gotten from the Library, and watched as Severus walked over to a piece of parchment that was taked to the post of Avery's bed. It was a simple list of all the boy's last names, with tick marks next to each name.

Severus took his quill and made four marks on the list next to his name. "Oh, shut up! _Four?_ Get the fuck out of here..." Lestrange protested. Evan smirked, and Avery peered at the list.

"Remember, this was supposed to be a list taken only on your word of honor," Avery reminded him. "Which reminds me, we haven't put Malfoy's name on the list. Will you do the honors, Sev?"

As Severus added "Malfoy" to the list, he said, "It's true Avery. I'm not making it up."

"Four in one week?" Lestrange repeated in disbelief.

"Yes, and actually, it's all thanks to Malfoy here," Severus smirked. "You see, they all think he's _so cute..._"

_"Cute?"_ Draco gagged.

"Yeah, and since they all think that I'm your best friend, they all want to get at you, and think that by getting to me, it would be the next best thing to getting to you. You could say I gave them a _test ride_ for you..."

Draco gaped, while the others looked rather murderous. It was times like these that reminded him that everyone around him was just as much a Slytherin as he was. If not more so. When he finally found his voice, he declared, "Wow, Severus, none of my friends have _ever_ done anything like that for me before. How can I ever return the favor?"

"Well, I am sorry to report that I cannot in good conscience turn Drucilla Webster over to you. She's got the nicest pair of tits..." Severus told them, then turned into his bed.

Draco mulled over this while the others whooped with excitement. He waited until it died down, and they all went to their own beds and quieted down. Draco then tiptoed to Severus' bed, opened the drapes, and looked him squarely in his black eyes.

"I wonder if any of my er, fans happened to be that cute little red-head Gryffindor with the green eyes. I'd love giving her some of the Malfoy Family Jewels..." he winked.

Like a viper, Severus struck in less than an instant. Draco was a bit surprised when he felt the cold steel of a dagger against his throat. "If you so much as touch her, I'll cut your balls off and then your throat, friend or no friend." Draco considered pointing out to Severus that what he'd done, or rather, who he'd done, hardly allowed him to have any sort of attitude like that, but he decided that it wouldn't be the most prudent time to debate the matter.

"I was only kidding, Sev. You know, joking, as in _ha, ha?"_

Severus returned the comment with an even stonier look than Foxworth had given him earlier, but at least he pulled the dagger away. "How did you know I love her?"

Draco drew a deep breath and replied, "These Gryffindor girls will drive you nuts, no pun intended..."

"Oh? So you like a Gryffindor girl in your time? I bet no one knows..." Severus surmised.

"I won't tell if you won't tell," Draco offered.

Severus smiled. "Deal."

Draco shook his head sadly. "Granger...she isn't even born yet!"

"Go to sleep," Severus advised him. "Maybe you'll dream about her tonight."

"Right," Draco sighed as he left Severus behind and got into his own bed. He couldn't help but think about the fact that Severus actually kept a dagger under his pillow. He listened in the darkness to Lestrange's snore, and thought that maybe Severus had the right idea... 


	7. The Dagger

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 7: The Dagger

On Friday morning, Draco was cornered by the four Gryffindor fifth-year boys right after breakfast. They surrounded him, and Sirius Black eyed him beadily as James Potter spoke.

"Listen, about the other night..." he started to say.

"You mean, the detention with Lupin I had?" Draco asked. Could they know what he had forgotten?

"Yes..." James answered carefully. Draco watched the expression behind the thick glasses that Potter wore. Lupin fidgeted very nervously, and a small fat boy named Peter Pettigrew (who Draco had already found out was the biggest loser in Hogwarts) gulped audibly. "Um, well, we just wanted to tell you that, well, we're really sorry about what happened. Lupin didn't have any choice..."

"Wait! What happened?" Draco asked. But, unfortunately, his question was drowned out; Lestrange, Avery and Evan swooped down on the group. _"Accio glasses!"_ could be heard over Avery's sneering laughter and Rosier's snickering and Sirius' inaudible retort which produced more loud laughs from the Slytherins. James' glasses flew off his face, and neatly into Lestrange's hands.

"Give them back, El Strange!" Sirius growled.

But Lestrange sneered and said, "D'you know what I once overheard a Muggle boy claim? That if you whack off too often, you go blind..." The other Slytherins, save Draco, sniggered in response. Looking at the glasses, Lestrange decided to put them on. Draco felt his face trying to restrain the grin from forming. Lestrange peered at the world with James Potter's glasses on his nose, and he declared, "Ugh! I'm getting dizzy! These are damned strong glasses you got here, Potter!"

The Slytherins all roared with laughter, and even Draco had a mighty struggle keeping his laughter in. Peter Pettigrew seemed so angry that he stepped up in front of the others, and grabbed the glasses back. The other three Gryffindors tried to hold him back. Severus stomped into the group wearing a scowl that, if he were a few years older, would have meant he was getting ready to hand out detentions to everyone.

"What the bloody hell do you want with Malfoy here? Maybe you want to knock him out before he climbs on his broom, eh?" he hissed.

"Sev, wait!" Draco tried to say, but Severus Snape, once he got riled up, was unstoppable. Draco knew this from when Severus was his professor. Severus had his wand out, ready to strike down anyone that dared to throw a spell or a fist at Draco. Sirius Black snarled, but turned and started walking away with the others. "Dammit..." Draco said under his breath and began to follow them. 

He could hear Peter Pettigrew. "Why didn't you let me tell them off? I was going to tell them I knew for a fact that you aren't blind because of...you know, that. After all, my vision is perfectly fine."

Sirius actually stopped dead in his tracks and whirled on Peter. _"What?"_ he asked gaping.

Draco watched James turn Sirius back around and heard him mutter, "It's just as well we held you back, Peter. It just would have made them even more vicious." And he gave a pointed glare at Sirius and Remus, who was sulking in the background. They all marched quickly away.

Draco spun on his heel and headed straight back to his fellow Slytherins. "You stupid fucking bastard!" he snapped at Lestrange. "I was just about to get them to tell me what happened to me on Wednesday night, and you go ahead and fuck it all up!" He was actually shaking with rage now.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Lestrange spat.

"He's talking about Wednesday night, Dumb Ass! The night they made us round up everybody and hide them in the dormitories!" Severus cut in.

"Who's calling who a 'dumb ass,' Snape? Seems like you and Malfoy here are getting just a little _too chummy,_ if you ask me. Soon I'll be hearing about you and him having a little _love affair_ on the side. I mean, I know he's really pretty and everything, but I mean..." Lestrange said.

Draco grabbed him by the throat. "What the fuck are you talking about, Lestrange?" he growled in the hateful boy's face.

"Tut, tut," they all heard from a few feet away. "They always say it's not pretty when vipers turn on eachother..." It was Foxworth. "Mr. Malfoy, let Mr. Lestrange go. Lestrange, I suggest you keep that oversized mouth of yours shut until after the Quidditch match," he added, glaring at him.

"What Quidditch match?" Draco asked. "There wasn't one scheduled for this weekend."

Foxworth smirked. "Well, there is now. Madame Hooch just informed me that the Gryffindor-Slytherin rematch has been scheduled for tomorrow."

This announcement had quite an impact on the group. Severus drew a deep breath. Evan looked a bit shaken, like he'd forgotten that he wasn't playing Quidditch tomorrow. Avery wiped his nose with his finger. Lestrange blinked. And Draco stared at Foxworth. "But Professor Foxworth, I have a bit of a problem..." he said.

"And what might that problem be?" he wasked Draco.

"I can't remember how to play Quidditch..." he smirked.

"You were remembering just fine last night..." Foxworth sneered, but seemed uncomfortable all the same. "Keep your mind on where it belongs. On your schoolwork, and on your Quidditch. Stay out of things that don't concern you. That includes you, Mr. Snape. The next time I catch you snooping anywhere near my offices, I will take a horsewhip to your backside, see if I don't!" Foxworth stalked off, and Draco gaped.

"He wouldn't really do that, would he?" Draco gasped.

"He's done it before," Avery told Draco.

"But, Dumbledore would _never_ allow it!" Draco protested.

"I know; Foxworth used to do it before Dumbldore took over as Headmaster. Dumbledore had little to say about it while he was still only the Transfiguration teacher..." Avery clarified. "Now, though, with the way things are, I'm not sure Dumbledore would even know it if Foxworth were to do it again." 

"Avery, stop bullshitting Malfoy. Foxworth wouldn't dare horsewhip his star student," Severus declared.

"No. That's something I'd expect more from Colton..." Draco pointed out darkly.

"Hmph. Colton's on the warpath with you. Especially if you do well this weekend at the game." Avery continued speaking as they all left the Great Hall. "While Sev here seems to have the inside track on Colton, I just happened to notice that he's got a vicious jealous streak. He's jealous of you. Maybe because you _are_ pretty." He smirked, but not in a very unfriendly way, and left Severus and Draco behind.

"I'm sure there's more to it than that," Draco said.

"Just concentrate on Quidditch. Leave the rest to me," Severus advised.

* * * *

Quidditch practice was very intense that night. Draco had a hard time seeing in the dark; none of the Quidditch matches he'd ever played lasted longer than an hour, and thus never played in the night hours. He had a lot on his mind as well, and he was a bit nervous about his first game with these players. All in all, he was glad it was over when two of the three Chasers collided into eachother. Thankfully, they were not hurt, but Roddy was a bit pissed.

"Think it's funny, do you? You'd better not be playing like assholes tomorrow; we have a score to settle!" he railed, making his other fellow Chasers wither under his gaze. "And you!" he shouted, turning on Draco. "I heard you making some comment about how you don't remember the rules of Quidditch?"

"Um, that was more of a private joke between Professor Foxworth and myself. As far as the rules of Quidditch...what rules?" he asked in mock confusion.

"Good lad..." Roderick smirked, and the others all chuckled a bit. They all knew that Slytherins played by their own rules, if they indeed bothered making up any at all. And that wasn't just with Quidditch, either.

"Oh, by the way, before we go in, there's something I made up here that I want to give everybody. I had to rush and make them up during lunch today, but I was saving them for the night before our game with Gryffindor..." Draco announced as he reached into his backpack. He produced a t-shirt, dark green in color (though it was a bit hard to see that in the dark), and they had small pictures of the Quidditch balls used in the game. Underneath, it read "Grab your balls, we're playing Quidditch!"

"We'll wear them tomorrow morning at breakfast," Draco told them.

Even though he had a big grin on his face, Roderick said, "I doubt Dumbledore will allow these in the school, Malfoy."

"But, Roderick," Draco said in mock innocence, "Quidditch is played with _balls,_ is it not?" Everyone, even the lone female of the team, snickered at that. "He'll let it go, unless of course, he gets mad that the _Gryffindors_ didn't think it up first."

"We'll see..." Roderick sighed.

* * * *

Draco gave Severus one of the shirts right before he went to sleep, even though he wasn't on the team anymore. "I know you'll get back on a broom someday," Draco said quietly.

"I don't think so. But, it's not a big deal." He smirked at the shirt. "Just make sure you stay on your broom tomorrow. With everything that's gone on this week, I think it was a terrible idea to have this rematch this weekend. I'm worried."

Draco shrugged it off. "I'm not. The ones who should be worried are Potter and Black. I'm determined to make them feel pain tomorrow. Pain, but not death, don't worry."

"As long as its not your death... Here, take this," Severus whispered as he furtively handed Draco the dagger he kept under his pillow.

Draco looked around him, and saw no one looking at them. Then he said in a lighter tone than he felt, "Friends don't let friends go unarmed, eh?"

"Don't worry, I've got another one..." Severus murmured. Of course he would, Draco reasoned. After all, no matter how generous he seemed, he was still a Slytherin.

"That's good. Thanks," Draco murmured back, and then pulled the curtain around his bed. And when he awakened in the morning, Draco found himself slightly sickened that he had slept far better with the dagger in his hand under the pillow than he ever had since coming to the Hogwart's of the past.


	8. Slytherin vs Gryffindor

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 8: Slytherin VS Gryffindor

All of the Slytherin team members showed up at breakfast wearing Draco's shirts. This caused a bit of a stir, seeing as how all eyes were on the Quidditch players on either team. And, as Roderick had predicted, Dumbledore's eyes were on them as well. But it wasn't Dumbledore that approached the Slytherin table in offended outrage. Instead, it was Professor McGonagall. "As you are well aware," she sniffed through flared nostrils, "that attire is quite inappropriate! I am forced to take five points from Slytherin for each of you."

"It doesn't matter; we'll make them up today during the game," Perry Albright declared, sending every Slytherin within earshot into thunderous applause and hoots of team spirit. Professor McGonagall thinned her lips and stalked off. Draco watched her go, thinking wistfully if only he were a few years older, and if only she wasn't head of Gryffindor House...

"Did you sleep better last night?" Severus asked him as he sat down next to Draco.

"Does it help you sleep? The dagger?" Draco asked.

"With this group..." Severus sighed, then turned his attention to his orange juice.

"Ah, good, giving our new Seeker a few more pointers before the game; good man!" Roderick said as he moved his seat next to Draco on the other side. "If there's anyone who can give you some pointers, it's Severus Snape!"

"Now, see the little Seeker over there, sitting next to Lupin there? He's the weak point in the team. He's inexperienced. He's only played one game, and that was against Ravenclaw. Needless to say, Ravenclaw is in first place, and most likely will remain there," Severus explained.

"How are their Chasers?" Draco queried as he ate some porridge.

"Above average, but not the be-all-and-end-all, certainly. No, their Beaters, they are Gryffindor's best asset. Stay away from them, Draco."

"That's the best advice you could have gotten; I was going to say it myself," Roddy said as he nodded emphatically.

Draco's attention wandered, and he looked over to Evan and Lestrange. They seemed really thick together lately. But Evan didn't seem to hold much animosity in his eyes, though he had every reason to. Instead, it was Lestrange that had the darkness in his eyes.

* * * *

Before Draco knew it, he had his uniform on, and his Nimbus 2002 in hand. It was a moment that he'd remember the rest of his life, going out onto the field with the other team members. The feeling was that of marching onto a battlefield, ready to kill or die trying. There was either hair-raising screaming or the undertone of jeering filling the early spring air. Madame Hooch's screeching whistle somehow overpowered all the outside noise, and Draco mounted the broom. Along with the other team members, he flew to the center of the playing field. All of the Quidditch players formed a circle around Madame Hooch; one half being scarlet and the other half emerald.

"Captains! I want you to shake hands; this is going to be a clean game! I mean it!" she warned them. She wasn't completely stupid; anyone could have seen the tension, anyone could have felt the hate and bad blood between the two teams. One team feeling the other was unjustly accusing them of trying to kill their former Seeker, and the offended team burning for revenge. Potter, the Gryffindor captain, was being made to shake hands with one of his prime accusers, Roderick. Draco could feel the vibes cutting through his stomach as the two of them stared eachother down, and Roderick spat on the ground. The other Slytherins cheered this gesture, which only made the expression on Madame Hooch's face even more murderous. "You either shake hands and act like civilized wizards and witches or the game gets cancelled!"

Potter, being the typical Gryffindor, held his hand out, even though his blue eyes burned with fury behind his glasses. Roderick looked at Potter's gloved hand as if it had germs on it, but he shook it very precariously. Draco could hear the sigh of relief from Madame Hooch, since it was echoed throughout the Quidditch field.

Satisfied that the proprieties were met, Madame Hooch kicked open the Quidditch ball case. The Golden Snitch buzzed up and away, but only Draco and the young Gryffindor Seeker took note of it. The ever-deadly black Bludgers darted out of sight, but the red Quaffle sat happily in the case with not a care in the world. Madame Hooch blew her whistle one last time, and tossed the Quaffle high into the air. Draco whizzed away, unconcerned about the Quaffle, since he was no Chaser.

"And, they're off! Nelson, Rigby and McNeel, the Gryffindor Chasers, have possession of the Quaffle," announced Octavius Reed, the Ravenclaw Captain, and selected announcer for this highly charged game. The logic behind the choice for announcer was obvious; since Ravenclaw was far ahead of both Slytherin and Gryffindor, it was felt that he would be more objective in his announcing for the game.

"Slytherin is in dead last place following the loss of their regular Seeker, but that may soon change. I don't know about you, but I've never seen a broom move that fast before!" Draco couldn't help but smirk, but he had to pay more attention now to his surroundings; he could ill afford to be too distracted by the announcer. "Of course, it might help Gryffindor's cause if their Seeker, only his second time out, can get it right this time..."

Draco sought out little Gilderoy Lockhart, and found him wearing a very red face under his golden hair. He wasn't about to let the runny-nosed twelve year old catch that damned Snitch!

"Simmons has intercepted the Quaffle! He passes to Wilkes, who heads straight for Goalpost Three!" Draco could hear the crowd beginning to get excited. He gives a glance over in that direction. Ashton and Fogerty wore faces on them that looked like war masks, whacking one Bludger in the midst of the tightly formed Gryffindor Chaser group. The black ball forced them to scatter.

"Gryffindor's Keeper blocks the shot, but wait! Simmons and Nelson combat over the Quaffle!" Draco heard the audience gasp. "Simmons drops the Quaffle!" Draco could see the red Quaffle falling, and he didn't give it a second thought. He dove down to try and catch it. "I say! Has Malfoy spotted the Snitch already? Hey wait a minute! I thought he was a Seeker, not a Chaser!" Draco heard Octavius exclaim as he caught the Quaffle and tossed it to Wilkes. Several specators booed him, but he shrugged it off and watched as Lockhart played catch-up with him, diving for a Snitch that was nowhere near there.

After that bit of play, Gryffindor scored four goals, while Slytherin scored two. Draco vowed to keep himself out of the fray. But he had no clue where the Snitch was, and, let's face it, Quidditch gets pretty boring for a Seeker until the Snitch is sighted. Seventy feet above the ground, Draco was so high up that not even the Bludgers were coming around. He kept his eye on Lockhart; there was always the chance that the little twerp might see the Golden Snitch. After all, as an adult, Lockhart was one of the biggest gold-chasers Draco had even known.

"Slytherin scores! Forty to thirty, Gryffindor! Nelson in possession of the Quaffle, passes it to McNeel. McNeel artfully dodges that Bludger from Ashton! Black sends it in Pinkerton's direction; sends her spinning!"

Draco decided to get closer to the action; he'd had enough of hanging around up there. And besides, Pinkerton was the only female on the field; Draco's dumb cave-man sense kicked in and sent him in Black's direction.

"Malfoy, what the hell are you doing!" Pinkerton screamed as she watched Draco nearly collide with Sirius Black. Potter swooped down in his friend's direction. Then Fogerty joined into it, until Madame Hooch's whistle cut through the air.

"Time out!" she declared.

"I'm warning you, Black! Back off her!" Draco snarled. Sirius was giving Draco a look that someone who was looking at a madman would give.

"Are you through pounding your chest yet, Tarzan?" Pinkerton snapped at Draco.

"Who's Tarzan?" Draco asked, puzzled.

"Fogerty, hand me your bat so I can whack him on the head with it!" Pinkerton growled.

"Okay, I get the idea..." Draco protested as Pinkerton approached with Fogerty's bat while everyone on both teams cracked up laughing.

"Is everything alright?" Madame Hooch asked in wonderment as she heard _everybody_ laughing.

"Looks like Malfoy's getting a lesson about how there's no such thing as chivalry on the Quidditch field!" Octavius explained to the spectators, who all began either laughing, jeering or making other noises.

"I thought you were a strange one from the looks of you..." Madam Hooch muttered to Draco. He smirked while she blew her whistle. Play resumed, with Perry Albright getting a workout from Nelson and Rigby. Ashton shot a Bludger in their direction, but only Rigby was driven off course from this.

And it was right then, that Draco caught out of the corner of his eye a tiny glinting object buzzing above the Hufflepuff stands. He careened in that direction, and so did Lockhart.

They both caught up to eachother right above the stand, where the Snitch zipped up and down, back and forth, over everyone's heads. The noise from every direction was overwhelming. "This is for real! Lockhart and Malfoy have cornered the Snitch!" boomed Octavius over all the other noise. Draco could dimly hear Slytherins screaming at the top of their lungs, while Gryffindors began chanting "Go, Lockhart! Go Lockhart!"

Draco heard some "Go Lockhart!" coming from right inside the stands. But a lot more were screaming. He didn't understand it until he got even closer and saw the faces of screaming girls lined up directly under him. The Snitch made a sudden dive down into the stands. The group of girls squealed as Draco flew right into their midst.

He actually landed in the stand. The Snitch flitted in front of one girl's face. She had cinnamon eyes that sparkled in delight as she reached out in front of her and clasped the Snitch. He strode right over to her, and Lockhart tripped before her as well. The only noise now int he entire field was Octavius' voice: "Never in the history of Quidditch has something like this happened. The Snitch is caught by a spectator! The lovely Miss Webster has the outcome of the game in her hands!" This was accompanied by the vapid squeals of all her friends, giggling furiously as Draco looked into her eyes.

A Gryffindor girl stood next to her, and Draco recognized her from potions class. She was the girl Severus was in love with. She was talking softly in her friend's ear. They both had their hair braided exactly the same way--one single thick braid in back. Miss Webster's hair matched her eyes perfectly, while Lily's green ones were a complete contrast to her red hair. "Dru, you have to give it to Gilderoy," Lily was saying urgently, "so Gryffindor can win and this ridiculous rivalry can end."

At once, several more girls screamed in protest "No! Give it to Draco!" They sighed and batted their eyes at him. "Oh my God, he's even cuter up close..." one of them whispered loudly. Three other girls giggled even louder and stepped closer and said, "I'd give it to Draco..." It was only the many years Draco's father had drilled into him the necessity to mask his feelings with his face that kept him from blushing to the roots of his white-blond hair.

Dru Webster looked into Draco's eyes, and they held challenge in them. He gave her a look back; he could handle it. She released the Snitch, and it zipped away. Lockhart made a noise of frustration, and while Draco agreed with him, he also was rather glad she hadn't handed it to Lockhart. He smirked at the girl, and took off on his Nimbus 2002 while the girls squealed in protest.

Back in the air, Draco caught sight of the Snitch again. Black and Potter loomed; they both had their eye on the Snitch as well, even while everyone else resumed play. And thought they could not fly as quickly as he could, they could pelt him with Bludgers just as well anyway. Draco spotted Lockhart coming full speed from the opposite direction as the Gryffindor Beaters. They were unintentionally going to squeeze him between them. Maybe he could use this to his advantage...

"Lockhart's heading straight for Malfoy!" Octavius exclaimed. Draco took off for the Snitch. Potter's bat made a familiar cracking sound. The Bludger impacted Draco's Nimbus' tail, and he was set spinning just like Pinkerton had been. "As Malfoy loses all sense of direction, Lockhart's gaining on the Snitch!"

Cursing, Draco set himself straight and barreled forth, not paying attention to the nausea he was feeling from dizziness. He sought Lockhart's scarlet robes like a beacon. "By the Goddess, look at him go!" Octavius shouted. The Slytherins that he passed by cheered Draco so loudly that he thought he might go deaf. He barely noticed Severus hanging over the side of the stands, screaming his throat hoarse. "Malfoy's closed the gap between himself and Lockhart!"

Another Bludger impacted out of nowhere; this time, his broomstick cracked! "Shit!" Draco hissed, turning his eyes up to James Potter close on his tail. And just as Draco tunred around and looked on as Lockhart struggled to catch the Snitch, Octavius boomed, "Slytherin scores another goal! Now it is a tie: Forty points even!"

Could he push the Nimbus in the condition it was in, with a deep crack along the middle of the handle? Could he shake Potter, and now Black who had joined him for the kill? Will Lockhart's fingers close around the Snitch before anything else could happen? _Jim, another one's coming..._ Draco shook his head. What was that? _I see it, Sirius._

Draco gaped. The bastards had a little telepathy thing going on between them! Well, he would teach them a lesson that they won't soon forget...

He turned around and stared up at Sirius Black as he swooped over to a Bludger and cracked it in Potter's direction. _I'm sending it to you--_ "Aaagh!" Black wailed in terror suddenly, dropping his bat as he screamed and held his head as if it would explode if he didn't. Potter turned around and gaped, then joined Sirius in crying out in horror.

"What's happened to Potter and Black?" Octavius wondered aloud. Draco knew, of course; he used his psychic abilities to sever the connection between the two Beaters. And he wasn't gentle about it, either. He flew as fast as his broom could manage over to Lockhart, who was nearly crying in frustration as he struggled to catch the Snitch.

"Get out of my way," Draco growled, using his left leg to kick Lockhart away. He spun upside down on his broom, unable to right himself as he drifted off. Then, Draco flew slowly over to the Snitch and snatched it into his grip.

"Malfoy has caught the Snitch! The game is over, at One ninety to forty, Slythering wins the match!" The tumult from the Slytherin stands was rather like an earthquake shaking everything around. Many other voices, either supportive or not, joined in. Draco heard very little of it as the Snitch shivered in he hands. He watched Potter and Black as they crouched on the ground.

Draco landed beside them, dragging his broom behind him like a warrior would carry his spear after a battle. "That was the payback for what you did to Severus Snape. Maybe Madame Pomfrey can fix you up...and maybe she can't." Black and Potter both gaped at Draco as he was dragged away from them, carried on the shoulders of the two Slytherin Beaters.


	9. Recuperation

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 9: Recuperation

It took Severus a long while to finally get to Draco's side after the Quidditch game. There were loads of fellow Slytherins that were just determined to occupy his attention as much as possible. Hell, even Lestrange was warming up to him again. Also, there were students from other Houses that wanted to meet him; a lot of them still didn't know him or his story. They thought he was just some sort of transfer student. So, by the time Draco was able to pry himself free from some worshipful third years, he had black rings under his eyes and seemed paler than ever.

"Go on now!" Severus ordered the disappointed third years, "can't you see he's exhausted?" He shooed them away. Once they scurried off, Severus commented, "You look like shit, Malfoy."

Draco sighed, and felt the artificial energy he'd been using all day finally deplete. "I haven't eaten since breakfast," he said tiredly.

"I'm sure we can get something from the kitchen..." Severus suggested. "And then, we can talk."

They both walked down the hallway, though it was a bit late already. "Talk about what?" Draco asked with an edge to his tone.

"Just things, Draco." Severus answered. They reached a large painting that pictured a bowl of fruit. Severus touched the pear, and the painting swung open. They entered the huge Hogwart's kitchens. "Sandwich?" he asked Draco.

"Yeah. Roast beef sounds good." At those words, three house-elves hopped to it, providing the two of them with everything they could possibly want on a roast beef sandwich. Another bonus was the fresh-baked rye bread still warm from the oven. By the time Draco took a bite of his sandwich piled high with lettuce, onions and horseradish, he decided that this sandwich had been worth the wait.

"So! You won the match! What's next?" Severus asked Draco.

"No idea," Draco replied with a full mouth.

I see you met Drucilla Webster..." Severus observed.

Draco thought for a second. "Oh! She's the one who caught the Snitch, right? Wait a minute! You don't mean that she's one of the girls who...with _you?_ God..." Draco frowned. He glared at Severus, who was wearing such a smug smile that he just had to do something. Severus laughed soflty as he got up to get something to drink. Draco immediately took out his wand, murmured inaudibly and waved his wand, then buried it back into his robe pocket before Severus even turned around.

"You just did something, didn't you?" Severus accused Draco.

Draco put on his best innocent face. "What could I have done?"

"Please, that face doesn't fool me, Draco. What did you do?" Severus asked. Then, it dawned on him. "Oh, I get it! You're mad at me because of the other night, that I told everybody that I did your prospective girlfriends?" Severus laughed a bit louder at seeing Draco's innocent facade melt. "I thought you didn't give a shit. So, now all of a sudden you care. And why? Because you like her!"

Draco stood up suddenly, and asked him, "Am I going to have to kick your ass in over her honor, or are you going to back off?"

Severus gaped for a second. "Kick my? Oh! No! It's alright, Draco. She and I; it was for fun, really..."

"You said that you 'cannot in good conscience turn Drucilla Webster over' to me. Why, has that changed?" Severus shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "'She has the nicest pair of tits' I believe you told me."

"Well, frankly, it's not her great mind that attracted me, Draco," Severus pointed out. "You mean you haven't noticed her many attributes?"

"No," Draco told him, "I mean that _you_ aren't supposed to be noticing them any more. By the way, do you know who her best friend happens to be?"

"How the hell should I know?" Severus asked peevishly. "All I did was have a nice little titfuck with her, I didn't ask her life story!" he added in a hushed voice.

"Well, maybe if I told you that her best friend is your little red-head cutiepie Gryffindor, you'd change your tune!" Draco snapped.

Severus did not appear upset by this revelation. "Oh! That would work out perfectly! She and Lily are best friends, and I'm your friend, so..."

"So we can do a swapsie every so often..." Draco suggested.

Severus was in Draco's face again, this time with the blunt edged mustard spreader. "Bullshit we will..." he snarled.

"Do you see my point now?" Draco asked him.

"No."

"How you feel about me even suggesting that I have some sort of casual thing with your, Lily? Is that her name? Well, that's how I am feeling now when you talk about how you had this casual thing going on with Drucilla. If you back off now, I just might let you live..." Draco explained.

Severus sat down and snorted in amusement. "You kill me? I don't think so, somehow..."

"Do we have a deal?" Draco asked Severus. He was about ready to answer, when Professor Dumbledore strode into the kitchen.

"There you are, Mr. Malfoy! You're a very hard young man to track down," he said.

"I'll bet you anything I know what this is about..." Draco grumbled as he left his half-eaten sandwich behind, and rose from his seat at the small table by the huge hearth.

"You'd better believe it, young man! I want you in that hospital wing without another moments delay!" Dumbledore growled. Severus' black eyebrows rose in surprise; he never hears Dumbledore growl.

"D'you mean those two twits are still with Madame Pomfrey?" Draco gasped.

"This is about those two _bastards?"_ Severus shrieked.

"You had better get yourself down to Slytherin House, Mr. Snape. It's past your bedtime," Dumbledore ordered him. "Now, then, Mr. Malfoy, let's be on our way..." They both left promptly, and Draco silently hoped that Severus would take his sandwich back down to the Slytherin Common room. But he hoped that his friend would have enough brains to watch over it; after all, someone might try to poison it if it was left unattended.

"I can't believe those two acting like such babies!" Draco spat. "I'm probably in worse shape than they are; I haven't eaten all day!"

"Mr. Malfoy, don't expect any sympathy from me. I want you to undo what you did to those two boys, and I want no nonsense from you."

"Undo what? I didn't _do_ anything to them!" Draco protested.

"That's not what it looks like to me. They appear to be in a most frightful condidtion!" Dumbledore answered as they approached the Hospital Wing doors. Draco banged them open in a huff and rounded the corner. The first row of beds were filled with James Potter and Sirius Black, who both had rings under their eyes that were even darker than Draco's. James didn't have his glasses on, and his normally blue eyes were bloodshot. Sirius twisted the edge of his blanket in silent agony. To Draco's surprise, Remus Lupin was also there.

"Oh, what the hell is this?" Draco spat. "I twisted your noses, so you have to run to Dumbledore to wipe them for you?" he added with contempt. James shrank back, and Sirius bared his teeth.

"What exactly did you do to them?" Lupin asked.

"I gave them a psychic kick in the nuts, that's what I did. Everyone takes a knock in the balls, boys. You'll get over it..." Draco drawled.

"He asked you a question, Mr. Malfoy. I want you to answer him, right now," Dumbledore ordered him.

"I severed their psychic connection while they were speaking to eachother _telepathically_ during the game. It's like interrupting a conversation, only more like a scream rather than a whisper."

"They were speaking to eachother telepathically?" Dumbledore asked. Apparently, he did not know this. "How did you hear them?"

"Uh..." Draco trailed off. "I, I don't exactly know..." he admitted.

"So, how did you sever their contact?" Dumbledore asked him.

"Um, it was like taking a sliver of power and slicing through the waves. That's all I did. Yeah, it's uncomforatble, but it's not nearly as fatal as these two are acting..." he sniffed. Sirius grabbed his sheets and began tearing them a bit, writhing in turmoil. James began actually crying, like he must have been before. Draco made a face; the two bloody gits... "Alright, alright, I'll fix them!" he agreed, though how he was going to do that, he had no clue. "But I want something from them in return."

They both gaped. Dumbledore snorted irritably, "You've got a lot of nerve, Mr. Malfoy! What do you want from them?"

"I want these two wretches to tell me what the hell happened Wednesday night! They know all about it..." Draco declared, as he watched James and Sirius squirm. Remus shot up from the edge of James' bed and faced Draco.

"I'll tell you, Malfoy. No, Sirius, I'll handle it!" Remus said to Sirius as he opened his mouth to protest. "He has a right to know what happened. Malfoy, you were attacked by a werewolf the other night."

Draco's jaw dropped. "A werewolf?" He remembered the dream he had the other night about the werewolf and how he was throwing books at it.

"There was a werewolf loose in Hogwart's the other night... I, I saw it too. Colton made me promise not to say anything!" Remus swallowed, as if recalling Colton's face. Draco could just picture it; that son of a bitch threatening Lupin, whom he despised anyway.

"Colton? What does he have to do with it?" Draco demanded. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Dumbledore now was twisting his robes much like Sirius had been twisting his bedsheets.

"I don't know what he had to do with it," Remus said, a bit too quickly for it to be the truth, or all of it, anyway. "But he didn't want me to start a panic. If anybody had known that a student had been attacked by a werewolf..."

"How did I manage to survive it? I wasn't bitten, was I?" Draco breathed fearfully.

"No, you weren't bitten," Dumbledore answered. "And, as for how you escaped the werewolf, that remains a mystery."

"Severus thinks that Foxworth gave me a potion to make me forget what happened."

"Which was thought to be a good idea at the time. However, now that you know the truth, Mr. Malfoy, I must ask that you not tell anyone else. The werewolf has been secured, and there will never be another incident like this past one. There is no need to make people here afraid of something that will never come to pass." Dumbledore looked far more relaxed now that Remus had told Draco the "truth" about what had happened on that night of detention.

"Now, if you would please help Jim and Sirius," Remus said. Draco pursed his lips, and sighed. He wasn't thrilled with the answers he'd gotten. Attacked by a werewolf! But he had given his word, and maybe, just maybe, there would be a way to find out the rest of the story. He opened his mouth to spout out some sort of nonsense spell and wave his wand, but before he could, the hospital wing doors banged open.

"YOU! Fix me up NOW!" a livid Severus demanded of Draco. Everyone looked quite shaken by the disturbance. Even Madame Pomfrey emerged from another corner of the wing and tutted.

For a few seconds, Draco stared into Severus' face and had no idea what he could possibly be talking aobut. But then it came to him. "Oh! I forgot about that hex I put on you, sorry!" he babbled, then waved his wand. Severus only seemed slightly less angry, turned on his heel, and strode out.

"What did you do to him?" James asked breathlessly.

"He sure looked pissed," added Sirius.

Draco smirked. "Rather ironic way to put it, Black. Pissed, I mean. His eyeballs looked yellow..."

"Why was that?" Dumbledore asked.

"I put a hex on his jeans, sir."

"A hex? Oh, to keep him from undoing his jeans?" Remus asked with a twitch of his lips.

"Why did you do that, Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked. "It seems quite childish to me."

"Childish, yes, but I felt at the time it was necessary. After all, someone has got to teach that boy how to keep his pants zipped up, if you know what I mean."

All three Gryffindor boys burst out laughing. James leaned over to Sirius and said, "Sirius, he's a Marauder..."

Sirius gasped in outrage. "No he's not! He's a Slytherin!"

"That doesn't matter. He's a Marauder at heart."

"James...really," Sirius huffed.

"Look, he's cured us," James declared, rising from the bed and holding his wand out. _"Lumos,"_ he said, and light beamed from his wand tip.

"Excellent, Mr. Potter, Mr. Black. I suggest that you two and Mr. Lupin return to Gryffindor House if you have no more business here. Mr. Malfoy is going to be serving detention."

"What?" Draco protested.

"Right now, with me, in my office. Where I can keep an eye on you until I can get a pair of glasses for the eyes in the back of my head. With you around, I need them," Dumbledore explained.


	10. More Detention

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 10: More Detention

Draco was brought back to Dumbledore's office. This time, they entered the main office, where Dumbledore's great desk stood. It was a deep cherry color, and simple, yet very beautiful all the same. Draco was surrounded by oddements that he'd never noticed before. Strange contraptions that made tinkling sounds, or shimmered in the candle glow that illuminated his office. When he sat down in the large red velour chair before the desk, he had the senastion of almost sinking into the seat.

"Well. It's been quite a week for you, Mr. Malfoy, hasn't it?" Dumbledore asked.

"Why am I serving detention now?" Draco asked irritably.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles as he replied, "I am not precisely having you serve detention in the traditional sense, Mr. Malfoy. By the by, may I call you Draco? Yes, Draco, I believe it is actually in your best interest that you remain here this evening."

"How do you figure that?" Draco asked.

"I fear Lestrange's friendly mood will not last. It appears that you have managed to break up the so-called friendship between Mr. Lestrange and Mr. Snape. That feat alone makes you worthy of high merit, Draco. Though I fear it may have repercussions," Dumbledore sighed.

"Oh, you mean the rumors he's starting to spread about me and Severus?" Draco spat as he rose from the seat (with some difficulty) and stood behind it. "I'm rather surprised they made it all the way up to you so fast."

"I care very little about your percieved sexual orientation, Draco, if that is what you are talking about. Besides, if all Lestrange were to stop at were rumors, I would consider it unworthy of my attention. No, I fear he's got more planned for you."

Draco shrugged. "Talk is cheap, Professor. When he backs it up with words, I'll worry about it," he said, with more bravery in his voice than he felt.

"Please have a seat, Draco. I haven't gotten to know you very well, and I would very much appreciate it if you would tell me a bit about yourself. For instance, I would sincerely love to know what makes you so high-strung?"

"I'm not 'high-strung!'" Draco protested shrilly, gripping the back of the chair tightly.

"Then again, I suppose if _I_ were Lucius Malfoy's son, I'd be high-strung too. Oh, do sit down, Draco. You needn't hide behind the chair. In fact, we might be able to share a bite to eat, if you haven't eaten enough with Severus before, that is," Dumbledore offered, as he waved his wand over his desk. On it appeared a set of two sandwiches and some pumpkin juice. Draco stepped around the chair and sat down quickly again. He took a bite of the sandwich, then realized that he was supposed to be talking, not eating.

"You know, everybody always thinks that I'm just this abused little boy because the great Lucius Malfoy is my father. It's not true. He doesn't beat me or anything like that. He just expects a lot from his son, that's all. Actually, I expect a lot of myself," Draco explained.

"Draco, I never meant to imply that your father beat you. I figured that he would try to hold you to a very high stndard, however, and that can be quite stressful to a young boy trying to find his true path in the world," Dumbledore pointed out.

Draco became annoyed. "Look, don't tell me about how difficult my father made my life. Since arriving here from that dratted door last Monday night, I have encountered nothing but obstacles and troubles! I have teachers I cannot trust, fellow students that might try to harm me, and even my friend keeps more secrets than a house-elf! If there is something I'm supposed to be doing here, than why am I getting such a hard time doing it?"

"Are you feeling out of place here, Draco? I could understand it completely if you are having trouble adjusting," Dumbledore sympathised.

"This had nothing to do with adjusting to Hogwarts, this has to do with Colton, Foxworth, Lestrange... I, I admit it, I'm getting a bit scared." It killed Draco to admit that especially to Dumbledore. "I never was in real danger in the Hogwarts I came from. Not like this. This was..." he trailed off. He was going to say, "stuff that Potter had to deal with," but the words died in his mouth. Imagine, he used to be jealous of the boy! What a fool he was!

"Do you miss your friends, Draco? From your time?" Dumbledore asked. "Did you have a girlfriend?"

"To tell the truth, I don't know if I miss Crabbe and Goyle all that much. Well, they would have been good to help me out in a fight, they're both really big guys, you know. Very intimidating, to anyone who didn't know how they really were. Come to think of it, I don't know how they managed to learn how to use a toilet instead of their pants without my help."

"I'm surprised you'd see them that way. Aren't they supposed to be your friends?" Dumbledore asked in a puzzled voice.

"I hung out with them. I was supposed to. They come from good families. So does a girl I know; she's from a good wizarding family. My father thinks she would be a good match for me. I don't. I have nothing in common with her. Shouldn't you have some things in common with a girlfriend?" 

"Yes, I think you should have many things in common with a girlfriend. Have you found a girl like that?"

"I don't know. I thought I did. But now, I'm finding there's another girl I'm interested in... I guess it's not really cheating on a girl if she's not actually born yet, is it?" Draco asked.

"Well, I must admit, no one I know has ever found himself in a situation like that. I suppose you must figure out that one for yourself. Based on your situation, you might find that door reappearing anytime. But, what if it doesn't?" Dumbledore looked keenly at Draco. "I see that you have become good friends with Severus Snape. And, you must realize that it is already April. What do you plan on doing if the door does not reappear in time for summer holiday?"

"Um, I have a plan..." Draco answered, though he knew that was a bunch of crap. In truth, he hadn't given any thought about summer yet. "I would have done anything to have a friend like Severus in my time. But, when I knew him; you must have figured out that I knew him from my other life," Draco sighed. "Maybe I can stay with him, if I pay my own way, of course. I don't have to stay here all summer, do I?"

"Well. Normally, I would be glad to see a young person that didn't have a family of his own could turn to a surrogate family of sorts. But I fear in this case, Severus' living situation is not ideal. He only lives with his uncle. He would rather spend the summer here. You must know that it has come to pass in the past that students that were in need were able to stay here over the holiday. Unfortunately, I would have to prove that Severus had no guardian, which would never work. His uncle is more stubborn than he is, I fear. And the man walks that very fine line between stern and abusive, I fear. Severus is too proud to admit it, but I believe that his uncle is a detriment to him. No, I fear that you would not be able to stay with him."

Draco's mind began to churn. He'd think of something; he was a Slytherin, they _always_ find a way. "I had no idea his family life was that bad," Draco frowned. But then a grin curled his lips. If he had his way, he and Severus would both have a blast this coming summer.

"Ah, I see that the idea of you remaining at Hogwart's is growing on you. Good, good. Now then, since it's gotten so late, I suggest that you remain here for the night. I can have the house-elves bring some of your things up here, and you look like you are tired enough to sleep for a week," Dumbledore told him. And so, mostly because he wasn't energetic enough to argue, Draco was tucked in by the house-elves up on a chaise lounge by the fireplace.

"Sleep well, Draco," Dumbledore told him, then turned to leave.

"Wait. I want to ask you something," Draco spoke up. When Dumbledore turned back around, he added, "Why do I keep feeling like I'm floating around, and don't have my feet on the ground ever?"

"My dear boy, your life has suddenly become so uncertain. You haven't any family now, not like you used to have. The stability you had is gone. But I want you to know that I will strive to help you in any way I can, Draco. Until that door reappears, there are one or two of us here that you can trust. I only ask one thing in return, if I may," Dumbledore said.

"What is it?" Draco asked.

"That you help me to understand Sytherins. I have been trying to see things from every students' point of view since I became Headmaster of Hogwarts. I can understand the fierce loyalty of a Hufflepuff, and I can see why a new discovery would make a Ravenclaw experience joy. Needless to say, I can associate with the thrill of victory that a Gryffindor feels when defending honor and truth. But for some reason, I just cannot see things from a Slytherin point of view."

Draco turned over to lay on his stomach, and he set his chin on the back of the chaise lounge to give Dumbledore an enigmatic grin. "So, you want to know what makes a Slytherin click, do you? I think I shall have to call upon some others to help me define it properly. But make no mistake, I do intend to explain the Slytherin mind, heart and soul to you, Professor. I relish the opportunity."

"Sleep on it," Dumbledore advised, and left Draco to stare into the flames beside him before falling into a deep slumber, even though he didn't have his securtiy dagger with him.


	11. An Accidental Revelation

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 11: An Accidental Revelation

Draco didn't wake up until nearly lunch time the next day. In fact, the only reason he woke up even then was because a familiar voice shattered his warm fuzzy sleepworld. "Professor Dumbledore, where is he? Why did you give him detention? It was just a stupid prank."

"Why Mr. Snape, since when did you ever appreciate anyone playing a 'stupid prank' on you?You usually retaliate against those who transgress against you in a most efficient manner, if I am not mistaken," Dumbledore pointed out. By this time, Draco's eyes opened, and Severus' very grave face came into view.

"I'm hungry, dammit," Draco growled irritably.

Both Severus and Dumbledore gave a bit of a start, as if they just realized that Draco was in the same room as they were. "And now I see that you're starving him too!" Severus added.

"A grave charge, Mr. Snape. Perhaps you should take him down to the Great Hall, as it is almost time for lunch. Draco, you may go now. I hope that you had a pleasant night's rest."

Draco yawned behind his hand and nodded. Once he and Severus departed Dumbledore's office, Severus turned on him immediately. "So, what happened with Potter and Black? What got him so worked up?"

"They're fine, damn their eyes. Well, at least Black's eyes anyway; Potter's eyes already are damned," Draco commented. They were the very first students in the Great Hall. They took a pair of seats near the edge of Slytherin's long table. And even though the bell hadn't rung yet, food appeared on the plates before Draco and Severus. "We didn't actually finish our conversation last night, Severus. So, what's it going to be?"

"Well, like I had told you before, she _is_ interested. So, I 've got nothing to say about it," Severus told him.

Draco simply nodded. Now, onto other business. "Severus, last night, when I was supposedly helping Potter and Black, they told me something. Well, at least Lupin did. He told me that there was a werewolf loose in the school the night I had detention with him. Apparently, I had an encounter with it."

"Were you bitten?" Severus asked with his eyes wide in fear.

"No, according to Dumbledore. Oh, yeah, he told me not to say anything to anyone. But I _know_ that there is more to it than that. Dumbledore even confessed that Foxworth gave me that potion purposely to forget the incident. And you know something?" Draco asked Severus. "I think I might have forgotten some of my past knowledge after all. There's something about Lupin. It makes no sense..." Draco held his head up with his hands with his elbows resting on the table. "I must be losing it..."

"I told you, I'm working on it. I know those three are up to a lot more than they appear to be. On the surface, they joke around and put on a show, but I know better. I say the best way to get something out of them would be to corner Pettigrew and force it out of him. He tags along behind them often enough to know their secrets..." Severus recommended.

Draco frowned and began to eat. Suddenly, someone's voice clearing over their heads made him look up. It was Filch, frowning even more than Draco had been. "That was one hell of a mess you left last week, Mr. Malfoy. Did you have to knock the bookcase over too? Was it really necessary?" he complained.

"I don't even remember what happened that night too well. I knocked over a bookcase, you say? It's true then; I must have been throwing books at it to keep it away."

"Throwing _books_ to keep a werewolf away?" Filch scoffed softly as he leaned down toward Draco and Severus in case he could be overheard. "Surely you could have doen better than that!"

Draco became irritated. "Oh, really? I'd like to see _you_ do any better!" Draco spat. Filch made a face. It became apparent to him that Draco was aware of the fact that he was a Squib, and not everyone knew that. He began to mutter about the lack of respect from students in general, and then slouched off. Mrs. Norris, his cat, followed him out of the Great Hall.

Draco turned to Severus and reamrked, "Y'know, he's had that cat an _awfully_ long time. I wonder what's up with that..."

"Never mind the cat! You threw _books_ at a werewolf?" Severus stammered in a hushed voice.

"Why, what are you supposed to do to defend yourself against a werewolf?" Draco asked. Their voices were both very soft, and as the Great Hall filled with teachers and students, they kept the conversation even more furtive.

"Didn't you have any Defense Against the Dark Arts classes?" Severus asked.

"It's kind of funny you should ask that," Draco commented.

"Why is that?"

"If I had any Defense Against the Dark Arts, I certainly didn't learn all that much."

"But I thought Lestrange told me that you did well in all of your subjects at school," Severus protested.

"I did do well! I'm ready for all of my O.W.L.s. I think...Severus, what if I'm not ready for Defense Against the Drak Arts? I haven't even taken a class yet? How far behind could I be?"

"I dunno. Didn't you have any teachers?"

"Well, yeah, but...That's one of the things I can't seem to remember. Who were my Defense Against the Dark Arts Teachers?" he asked himself aloud. Why couldn't he remember them?

"You'd better tell Professor Foxworth about this. You're going to need major help if you want to pass that O.W.L." Severus looked up at the teachers table. "If he's ever here, that is..."

"I don't trust Foxworth," Draco hissed. "He's not on my side with this, I'm sure!"

"I trust him," Severus answered simply.

"Yeah, well maybe that's because he hasn't tricked you into drinking Forgetfulness Potion yet," Draco snapped. He glanced up at the teacher's table, and noticed several absences, including Colton.

"I can't believe that you really threw books at the werewolf...Maybe you did better against it than you remember, Draco. After all, not only did you survive it, but you didn't even get bitten!" Severus pointed out.

"Or maybe Foxworth had something to do with it," Draco sighed. "But, if that were true, then why did he give me that potion?"

"It's like going in circles," Severus complained. "I hate mysteries going unsolved, you know. I'm _sure_ Lupin left out something. I say we work on Peter, like I'd said before. I've got a few nifty curses that'll leave him crying for his mum and wetting his pants. I know they work; I've used them on him before..."

"You mean you're going to _torture him?_" Draco gasped.

"Not exactly. It's far more mainstream than real torture. What do you care, anyway? He's a Gryffindor! Yes, a piss-poor excuse for one, but still the enemy..."

"Hmph! Y'know, Sev, I haven't been myself since coming here. I've been so good I can't stand myself!" Draco complained miserably. "Did you know that the Sorting Hat took the shortest amount of time in recent memory when Sorting me into Slytherin House. So how do you think I feel when I'm finding myself acting like some Gryffindor fool? No wonder I'm nauseous!" he added and pushed his plate away in disgust.

"Nonsense! You played Quidditch like a true Slytherin yesterday, except when you defended Pinkerton from the vile, evil Sirius Black," Severus snorted. "Something I wouldn't have done, of course, but still..."

Just as Draco had opened his mouth to respond, Lestrange and Evan sat beside them, on each side of them. "So! How's the Quidditch hero here? I hear you had detention with the big man himself. What did he do to you?" Lestrange demanded. Avery caught up with them, and sat down just in time to hear Draco's answer.

"Oh, you know how it was," Severus cut in. "It's just like my uncle always says: _It just goes to show that you don't have to spread your legs or stick out your ass in order to get fucked..."_

"Does your uncle have any more, er, words of wisdom?" Draco asked.

"Not for right now. They come and go as the situation warrants."

Draco shook his head, and brooded in silence as the others chatted about the game yesterday. An owl swooped over him and delivered a copy of _The Daily Prophet_ to Draco. He sighed and paid the owl two knuts, then opened the newspaper. He looked for the classified section. When he found it, he pulled it out of the rest of the bulky Sunday edition and set it aside. Then, he returned to picking at his food until the Great Hall began to clear out.

Later, Draco sat in the Slytherin Common room reading the classifieds very intently. He saw an advertisement for a "slightly used" invisibility cloak. Now, normally, Draco would absolutely never consider buying anything used, even an antique, but these were extraordinary circumstances. He had some money, but not enough to send away for a new invisibility cloak, certainly. It galled him, but he remembered that he was very fortunate to have even found an advertisement selling one at all, especially one within his budget. So, he wrote a short letter to the seller, set up a small pouch with enough gold to cover the purchase, and then cast a spell over the pouch to make sure that the seller wouldn't cheat him. It was a Compulsion Charm, which Severus had taught him, back when Severus was Professor Snape. It was not an acceptable charm to teach at school, but useful all the same.

"Where are you off to?" Severus asked absently over his Arithmancy book.

"The owlrey. I'll be back," Draco answered. He spent the entire time he walked down to the school owlrey thinking of all the spying he would be able to do with this invisibility cloak once he got it.

He looked around for a school owl that was available once he got there. Hogwart's had managed to send everything else he owned back in time with him, but not Portia, his eagle owl. Draco sighed; he hoped that she would fend for herself. He wouldn't count on Crabbe or Goyle to remember to feed her. In fact, with his extended absence, he didn't expect Crabbe or Goyle to be doing much functioning at all... He tied the letter and pouch to a great barn owl, who then took off with a great swoosh of his wings.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard several pairs of feet up ahead. Draco turned and saw the four Gryffindor fifth years come in. "Malfoy," Lupin acknowledged. Draco nodded in answer, and then promptly removed himself from their presence.

Draco was about halfway down the dark hallway before he had the sudden urge to turn around and, just for shits and giggles, find out what they were doing sending an owl that day. He crept as silently as possible back to the main chamber door and held his breath.

"Hold still while I tie this note on you..." Pettigrew muttered as he struggled to attach his letter to a small peregrine. "Mum's got to send me more money before we go to Hogsmeade next Saturday. I'm cleaned out!"

"How many jawbreakers you plan on buying this time?" Potter joked.

"Actually, I've got to tell you that I've grown out of jawbreakers, Jim," Pettigrew reported. "I've acquired a taste for Fizzing Whizzbees. By the way, have you ever tried one of those blood-flavored pops? I say, most unusual taste..."

Draco was about to turn around and leave in disgust, when he heard Lupin speak up. "At least it won't be the night of the full moon this time..." Draco stopped dead in his tracks and strained to hear every breath out of their mouths.

"Yes, no need to worry this time out..." Potter said with a sort of forced cheeriness. Have these four gits known about this roving werewolf all along? He wished with all his heart that he had already gotten his invisibility cloak!

"No," Lupin sighed sadly, "We don't have to worry about Hogsmeade, we have to worry about Colton instead."

"He wouldn't dare do what you're thinking he did! He's a _teacher!_ He wouldn't try to kill a student!" Potter argued.

"I notice that we spend a great deal of time worrying about someone who isn't even our friend," Pettigrew protested. Draco edged as close as he dared to, and Pettigrew continued complaining softly, "We have to remember what he is! A stinking Slytherin snake who wouldn't think twice about handing us to Colton if it would save his own skin!"

"I have to agree with Pete; you two are letting what we know about him cloud your judgement. Jim, he can never be one of us, even if he is an Animagus," Black commented.


	12. More Accidental Revelations

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 12: More Accidental Revelations

Draco didn't dare make a noise as the conversation continued. "How do you really know he's got the ability?" Lupin asked.

"I've suspected it since he shook my hand last week. I could somehow sense it. He has no idea of course. D'you know, Sirius, I think I could even sense that he's never made a transformation before?" Potter asked.

"Au contraire, Jim. I believe he _did_ make a transformation once. Though, admittedly, it was not voluntary..." Sirius clarified.

"Sirius, how do you know all this stuff?" Pettigrew asked in a high pitched voice. Draco had to concede that he was amazed at Sirius Black's correct intuition. Not only did he sense that Draco had once spent a few moments of his life in an animal form, but he somehow knew that Draco had not done it on his own. It was in his fourth year, and the false "Professor Moody" had done it to him. He had been transfigured into a ferret.

Suddenly, Draco found himself nearly bursting with questions. The main one was, when Moody changed him into a ferret, had he consciously changed him into a ferret, or had _Draco_ changed _himself_into a ferret? After all, with the way Moody treated him, he would have been better served if he'd been transfigured into a rubber ball, not a ferret of all things!

"Well, Peter, remember how much easier it was for him to change than it was for us?" Potter reminded him.

"Heh, hard for you, was it? It was nearly impossible for me," Pettigrew groused.

After that statement, there was a few moments of silence. Draco considered tip-toeing out, but then Sirius said, "You know, Remus, you shouldn't have told him about the other night. What he didn't know won't hurt him."

"Oh? And let Colton get away with it? What will he do? Use me again to try and kill Malfoy? I will not be used that way. Even if it means that the truth comes out!" Lupin declared.

"I still can't believe that he knows anything at all. I think only Dumbledore knows. And Madame Pomfrey, naturally, but she'd never say anything," Potter said.

"Hmph! Someone like Colton would make it his business to know something like that," Lupin protested.

"Look, Remus, I know you hate the man..." Potter started.

"Yeah, him and a lot of other people!" Pettigrew chimed in. Draco would have given three cheers to that statement if he could.

"Regardless, he works as a teacher in this school!" Potter sputtered.

"Yes, thank you very much for that assessment, Mr. Prefect. I'm sure Dumbledore can always count on you to put Hogwart's in a positive light," Pettigrew drawled.

"Dumbledore's not the problem, it's Colton!" Lupin growled.

"If he employs someone like Colton, then he _is_ part of the problem!" Pettigrew countered.

"Now you're starting to sound like Snape did in second year," Black snickered.

"Look, as much as I hate _that_ bastard, he happened to be right in this case!" Pettigrew stated.

Lupin moped, "What's the use? We can't do anything about it."

"Hell, I say, let Snape handle him," Pettigrew snorted.

"He couldn't handle him before. He never got Colton fired, even with all his efforts. As diligently as he prepared the case against him, Dumbledore would not let him go. And why would he? Colton's a wizard, he's knowledgable in Potions, and he's willing to teach the Art to others. Sorry, as horrible as that man is, we're stuck with him," Potter sighed.

Black spoke up, "Yes, except for one thing. Snape now has help..."

"You mean Malfoy... Oh, God! Could it be that Colton knows that Malfoy is here to destroy him?" Lupin gasped.

"Hell, let Snape _and_ Malfoy handle him!" Pettigrew declared. "Preferrably by Tuesday; I haven't gotten started on Potions homework yet..."

"You have such simple needs, Peter," Potter commented.

Pettigrew started walking toward the main door, and Draco could hear his footsteps. He silently edged further down into the darkness. "I'd kiss their feet if they managed to do it, you know," he continued.

"Don't let either of them hear you say that," Potter joked.

_If they only knew,_ Draco thought as he slid down the hallway ahead of them. "Well, one thing's for sure. I want to make a deal among us. From now on, we're not going to fret over the Slytherin. Remember, it takes a hell of a lot to knock down a snake..." Black told his friends. Draco kept those words in his mind as he broke into a run all the way back to Slytherin House.

* * * *

Draco burst into the common room and found Severus still agonizing over his Arithmancy, Lestrange and Rachel playing a game of exploding snap, Avery finishing his History of Magic report, and Evan looking glumly into the fire. A couple of first years jumped at him when he opened the portal so abruptly. Severus looked up, and sniffed, "What was your hurry?"

Draco looked down at the book Severus had on the desk. "Look I never took Arithmancy, but if you want I could help you, maybe..." he offered.

"You know what? I wish I had never taken this course..." Severus told Draco miserably.

"You should take Care of Magical Creatures, Sev. Well, unless you're caring for Hippogriffs...or blast-ended Skrewts..." Draco trailed off.

"Blast-ended _whats?"_ Lestrange asked.

"Blast-ended Skrewts. It turned out that they were a cross between a fire-crab and a manticore..." Draco answered. He nearly laughed aloud at Lestrange's and Rachel's expressions of disgust.

Severus frowned. "Since I am not quitting Arithmancy to get my hand blown off by some beast, I'll continue with my impossible homework. Alone."

"No, Severus. I really want to help you with your homework..." Draco said very pointedly.

"Oh..." Severus said slowly. "We'll go in here; it'll be more quiet." He led Draco to the dormitory. As soon as Severus closed the door behind him, he asked, "What is it?"

"Colton _is_ trying to kill me, and I think I may know why," Draco began. Draco then proceeded to tell Severus about the parts of conversation that he heard about Colton possibly using Remus Lupin in some way to try and kill Draco. Then he told Severus that he knew about the attempt to have Colton removed during second year. In fact the only things he left out were about the Animagus business. Once Draco knew for certain what was true or not true concerning his ability to transform into an animal, he would tell Severus all about it.

"But why would he try to kill you? I still don't get it," Severus sighed.

"Colton thinks that I came from the future to deal with him in some way. He sees that you and I have become friends, and he's scared of this for some odd reason. Are we really a threat to him, Sev? What is it that you know about him that you won't tell me? He must assume you've already told me this deep dark secret, and that's why he's behaving like this." Draco paced the floor between the large bedposts of Lestrange's bed with a look of determination on his face. "I notice I haven't seen him in a while."

"Well, when you see him again, _pay attention to his aura!_ I swear, if I could tell you more, I would," Severus told him.

"Does Dumbledore know?" Draco asked suddenly. Severus nodded. "Are you keeping the secret for him, is that it?" Again, Severus nodded. "Shit..." Draco muttered. "What about Lupin? What do you know about him?"

"Aside from the fact that he tends to fall ill quite often, not very much. He's more quiet than his two best friends. They are _very_ protective of him, if you haven't noticed. But I have no clue how Lupin is supposed to be used to kill you. That makes no sense to me," Severus said.

Just then, the bell rang for dinner. Draco and Severus came out of seclusion and joined everyone else in going to the Great Hall. "So, Malfoy, did you and Sev have some good action in the dorm earlier? I made sure that you two would have your privacy..." Lestrange said loudly as they climbed the last staircase.

"Oh, yes. In fact, we used your bed..." Draco quipped.

And Severus added, "Unfortunately, Malfoy's ass was a bit too tight for me, so he gave me a blow job instead. Only problem was, he's not all that good at sucking dick. Not nearly as good as your sister, Lestrange."

Lestrange started turning purple with rage. "Lestrange, don't! We'll lose points," Evan hissed as Lestrange stalked Severus. Lestrange snarled a bit, but did nothing else, mainly because they had entered the Great Hall. Severus and Draco sat at the end of the table, Avery gave them a lecherous grin, and then joined Lestrange and Rosier toward the other end.

"Um, Sev? His sister? Did you?" Draco asked.

"Well, I didn't suck my own dick..." Severus answered.

"Oh. And just who is Rodolphus's sister?" Draco asked.

"Why, Rachel, of course."

"Really? She's his _sister?_ That's weird. I always thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend," Draco said.

Severus' brows rose in surprise. "You mean you didn't know they were twins? I can't believe I forgot to mention it! Well, they are. I don't know where you got boyfriend and girlfriend from..."

"Just a vibe I got," Draco explained.

"Speaking of vibes, here comes Colton..." Severus reported. Draco looked up as Colton took his seat next to Professor McGonagall. "Now, look at him, carefully," Severus instructed.

Draco watched Colton, who seemed not to be paying any attention to the students beneath him. He looked at the man's aura. It seemed oddly constrained, and there was a red gash right above his head. "What is that?" Draco asked aloud.

"Look at Dumbledore now," Severus said. Draco did so, and saw him looking right at him. Upon examination of the aura, he found it to be widespread around Dumbledore, and no red gash, to be sure.

"He looks fine, but Colton... Did something happen to him?" Draco asked.

"Who knows, and who cares? Just consider the red scar on his aura. What could it mean?" Severus hinted.

"Have no clue..." Draco admitted.

"Mr. Filch?" Severus suddenly said, "what's that you've got there?"

Draco turned away from Dumbledore. Filch was standing before them with a book in his hands. "A book I found on the floor in the Potions dungeon when I was cleaning up in there the other night. I know it didn't belong to Colton's personal library, and Lupin told me it wasn't his, so I'm assuming it's your book. You should take better care of old library books like this. Madame Pince would have a fit if she knew how poorly you've treated it so far." After his speech, he thrust the book into Draco's hands before he could open his mouth to protest that he'd never seen that book in his life. He opted to keep his mouth shut once he read the title: _Potions for Various Mind Maladies._

Draco looked at Filch with his eyes focused to look at his aura, as he'd been doing with the others, mainly to see if his aura would give any clue as to what Filch was playing at, giving him a library book that was clearly from the Restricted Section. Just as Hogwart's janitor turned and walked away, Draco saw the red gash above his head as well!

Severus nearly pounced on the book. "I'll bet this book has a forgetfulness potion reversal in it!" he said with excitement. But then he looked up at Draco, and saw the expression of astonishment on his face, and knew that his friend has finally put it together.

"Oh my God! He's a Squib! Colton is a Squib!" Draco gasped.

* * * *

_Note: While I have revised a lot of this story to consider the new info in Book 5, I still decided to leave James a Prefect. I just think it makes more sense since he does become Head Boy. Cheers!_


	13. Aunt Andi

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 13: Aunt Andi

"Will you shush! No one's supposed to know!" Severus fretted.

"How can this be? How can a teacher here be a Squib? Oh, wait a minute, of course. This is Dumbledore we're talking about; he's always giving the dregs of the earth jobs at Hogwart's... Damn it. He'll never get rid of Carlton," Draco groused.

"Who the hell cares about that bastard? This book has formulas for everything!" Severus grinned.

"That bastard tried to kill me!" Draco snapped. "And I want to know why!"

Severus gave Draco a patient look. It was like a young mirror image of Professor Snape staring back at him. "You're obviously not going to get your answers by asking him. It's going to take detective work to figure this one out."

"Let me see that book." Severus reluctantly handed Draco the book. "I don't see any potions for reversal of forgetfulness potions...Wait a minute!" Draco's gray eyes lit up. Then, in a hushed voice, he told Severus, "This book has the formula for Veritaserum in it!"

"Draco!" Severus gasped. "Veritaserum is very dangerous; you need to be supervised by the Ministry of Magic to use that!"

"Not if I use it on myself!" Draco declared.

"Now why the hell would you want to do that?" Severus asked disdainfully.

"It will help me remember the information that's in my mind but locked away!" Draco answered.

"Huh? Draco Malfoy, once you take a Forgetfulness Potion, the information that you have forgotten is lost permemantly, unlike a Memory Charm, which can be broken or reversed if absolutely necessary," Severus instructed him. "Just what kind of idiot did you have for a Potions professor, anyway?" Draco had to cover his mouth with his hand to keep quiet. "Just what is so damned funny?" Severus demanded. "Was it something I said?" Draco continued to try and contain his mirth. "Do I know the person who taught you Potions? It wasn't Lupin, was it?"

"Lupin? What made you think that?" Draco laughed. "He's just as bad at Potions as Neville Longbottom!"

_"Neville_ Longbottom? I remember Frank Longbottom, when he went to school here. He'll have a son? Is that it?" Severus asked with interest.

"Okay, that's it! No more flashes of the future! I'm keeping my mouth shut! Now, let me see this ingredient list... Dangerous as this potion is, it's not all that difficult to brew. But I'll have to get some things from the Potions storage room..."

"Colton will never allow us in there," Severus warned.

"Just leave that to me. And what's this _us_ all of a sudden? I thought you were worried that the Ministry of Magic would catch you," Draco sneered.

"What? Pass up my golden chance to force-feed Colton Veritaserum? After that, who cares if I get tossed into Azkaban?" Severus declared.

"Now what makes you think I'm going to force-feed _Colton_ anything? He won't say anything except that he's a Squib who's trying to kill me, which I already know. Besides a nice sized dose of a laxative concoction, he's not getting a damned thing out of me. No," Draco smiled evilly. "The one getting force-fed Veritaserum is the one responsible for having my memory destroyed in the first place..."

"You mean Foxworth? But..." Severus protested.

"But nothing, Sev! He's the one who has something even bigger to hide than Colton the Squib. And I have a plan to get it out of him. That business with that werewolf leads to something vital. I must have seen something, and he wanted to cover it up. I'm determined to get to the bottom of it," Draco said.

"Fine, so you solve the mystery, and then what?" Severus asked. "You leave?"

Draco took a deep breath. He'd gotten so involved in what was going on in these times that he was starting to forget that he had another life 20 years in the future. He decided not to think about that; it was making his head spin. It was spinning so much that he thought he saw his Aunt Andi out of the corner of his eye. It made him take another look, and he gasped "Aunt Andi?"

Severus looked at the tall, willowy young woman walking from the Hufflepuff table to the Ravenclaw table. She had long blonde hair tied back in one thick braid. She was quite beautiful, but very cool looking. "By the Goddess, it _is_ her!" Draco gasped again as he got up to catch up to her. "Aunt Andi?" he said when he got to her side.

At first, Andi smiled brightly at Draco, but then, it faded. "Aunt?" she asked him in puzzlement.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. I suppose I'd better introduce myself. I'm Draco Malfoy, Narcissa's son," he told her.

"You're Narcie's son? Oh, my! What do you mean, _Malfoy?_ You can't mean that my sister will actually go ahead and marry Lucius Malfoy, do you?" Andi sighed as she sat at the Ravenclaw table. Draco sat down next to her. Severus seemed to be rocking back and forth on his feet nervously. A few of the Ravenclaws at the table gave Draco a pointed look. He looked back at them with wide gray eyes, taking in each of their Ravenclaw colored ties and patches on their robes. But one of them didn't have Ravenclaw colors, she had Hufflepuff colors. He saw her cinnamon eyes, and his throat caught.

"Er, Drucilla, right?" he grinned. She smiled back. Gods, she was beautiful, Draco thought as his mind wandered about a million miles away.

"Yes," she answered. "Drucilla Webster." Her own matching cinnamon hair was braided the exact same way Andi's was. "I think Andromeda asked you something," she smirked.

"Uh, oh, yeah. My dad. Yeah, he's Lucius Malfoy..." Draco trailed off as another person, a Gryffindor girl, sat down next to Drucilla. This was the same girl who was in the Hufflepuff stands with Drucilla yesterday, with the red hair and green eyes. And that braid!

"Lily! Guess what? Draco Malfoy here is Andromeda's nephew!" Drucilla declared. Draco noted an unmistakable note of satisfaction in her voice. Of course, he realized as he saw Lily's face turn sympathetic to Aunt Andi. Because of her relationship to him, that meant that Andi was no longer competition for Drucilla. _Ew, his __aunt_ had been interested in him, Draco thought. Of course, how could she have known that he was her nephew, but still...

He blinked, and looked up. Severus was still standing there nervously. "Say, Sev, why don't you have a seat?" Dru smirked slightly, Lily looked aghast, and even Severus grimaced nervously. He looked to Andi again, who suddenly appeared to be absolutely furious.

"Oh, yes, _Sev,_ why don't you have a seat next to me?" seethed Andi, "so I can ask you why you didn't tell me he was my _nephew!"_

"How was I supposed to know he was your sister's son?" Severus protested. Drucilla's eyes sparkled with amusement, while Lily's had become two hard emeralds of hate. Draco considered laughing, until he realized that Aunt Andi must have been one of the ones that Severus had "test ridden" on Draco's behalf last week. At first, he was seething as much as Aunt Andi and Lily were. And then, he recalled that Drucilla had been another girl that Severus had last week. So, he put a firm hold on his anger, and made a promise to himself that he was going to carve Severus Snape into tiny little pieces once they got back to Slytherin House.

Fortunately, the bell rang. Everyone rose from their seats in a hurry. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, Drucilla," Draco told her.

"I'll be at the Gryffindor table tomorrow morning, if you want to talk..." Dru informed him, and then left, hurrying to catch up to Lily. Why did she have to make things so difficult for him? First she sat at Ravenclaw's table, and he got the dirty looks, and now he was going to have to leap head first into the Lion's Den for breakfast! Well, he thought as he watched her backside moving in a most appealing manner, he'd be up for the challenge. But first, he had to deal with Severus, who was being harrassed by Aunt Andi.

"Let's get out of here!" Severus puffed as he managed to escape the last of Aunt Andi's wrath.

"I agree." And with that, Draco and Severus were silent until Draco decided to make a detour into the boy's bathroom on the first floor. Severus followed him in.

"Look I know you're mad at me. I'm not an idiot. I'm sure you're pissed about Andromeda. I can't believe she's your aunt! Oh, well," Severus dithered.

Draco turned on him. "My _aunt?_ I can't believe you screwed my _aunt!"_ he railed.

"Well, maybe you see her as _Auntie Andi,_ but I don't," Severus replied smugly. This just got Draco even more angry, but Severus continued, "My reputation spreads, and so do their legs! What do you want from me?"

A few seconds passed, and Draco's seething became more of a simmer. Severus frowned. "Well, why aren't you kicking my balls or something? I can tell you're mad. Just get it over with."

"What? And deprive all the girls of such a good time?" Draco spat.

"You know, I don't understand you. You act like you've never played this game at all...Oh, I get it," Severus suddenly smiled. "You have never actually...done it before, have you?" Draco's face began turning bright red as Severus tried very hard not to laugh.

"What?" Draco asked, shaking with fury.

Severus' face took on that all-knowing look that had much more merit when he was older than he was at that moment. "And I know why that is, too. It's because you _think too much_ Malfoy. If you would just stop thinking and start fucking, you'd be a lot better off..."

Draco gaped. He had not felt so humiliated since...since he'd been changed into a ferret and bounced around in front of the entire school. Furiously, Draco pushed the prospect that he might have changed himself into a ferret down in his mind. This was no time for thinking about that! And then, it came to him. The perfect counter attack. "Hey Severus! Remember you asked me who the idiot was that used to teach me potions? Well, the idiot was you,_ Professor Snape!"_ he declared.

"That's bullshit!" Severus sputtered. "I'd never become a teacher! Why would I ever do such a ridiculous thing? Why would I subject myself to being the target of hundreds of students' wrath?"

"How should I know, Professor Snape?" Draco asked innocently.

"Don't call me that," Severus snarled.

"All I know is that you were my Potions professor." Draco sailed out of the boy's bathroom. Severus was hot on his heels. So were a couple of third-years, the same ones that were chasing Draco around yesterday afternoon. He gave them a pointedly nasty look, and they naturally didn't get the message; they giggled with delight that he would look in their direction. Rolling his eyes, Draco made his way downstairs for the Slytherin Common room. Severus caught up with him well short of the entranceway.

"If you keep quiet about my supposed future career, I won't mention your sexual experience, or lack thereof," he stated quietly.

Draco smirked. "You're such a sweetheart, Sev," he replied sarcastically.

"Of course I am. I'm a Slytherin."

"Heh," Draco sniffed as he continued walking to the door. "You know," he said suddenly, and stopped his stride, "I could have had any girl I wanted. It's just that I don't drop my pants for just anybody, like some people I know..."

"And so," Severus grinned and said just as softly, "you never dropped them at all."

"Oh, I'm sure that's just fine with you, Sev. You can keep them all happy, I reckon," Draco sneered.

"But that's just the thing. I'm only one person, Malfoy. Sooner or later, you're going to have to pitch in and help out."

"Oh you poor dear! Getting too overworked are you? Well, you should have thought of that before you unbuttoned your pants last week. I _certainly_ can't help you with Aunt Andi."

"Well, of course not! I don't know what we're going to do about her..." Severus frowned.

"I have a suggestion. Remember how your pants were last night? Well, pretend that they are like that all the time, Severus," Draco advised him. Severus looked like he'd just bitten into a rotted melon. "And don't sulk! It's very unbecoming in someone who's mature enough to go cavorting around like you've been."

"I'll be sixteen in about a month!" Severus protested.

"I'll be seventeen in December, I think," Draco announced as he shook his head and finally entered Slytherin House. "Can't be too sure anymore. I was born, or will be born, or I'm supposed to be born, on the 29th of December. So, that makes me older."

"Older, but still, er, pure as newly driven snow..." Severus whispered.

"Whatever," Draco growled. He caught sight of Lestrange. Now he had more important things to worry about than his aunt's honor. Lestrange was nothing short of murderous. "Here comes trouble..." he muttered as Lestrange got himself in Severus' face.

"What do you want?" Severus asked Lestrange in a very quiet, deadly sort of tone. Evan Rosier got up from one of the highbacks and scurried off, right out of the House.

"That was a very low-class stunt you pulled at dinner. You don't talk about my sister that way," Lestrange ranted.

Severus snorted derisively. "Oh please! You can talk about her however you want, but no one else is allowed to? You should have thought of that before you started spreading rumors about me and Malfoy." Lestrange backed off a bit, but Severus continued talking. "If I find out that you're shooting your big mouth off anymore about things you know nothing about, I'm going to have to teach you a lesson, Lestrange. And trust me, you don't want that to happen, do you? Do you remember that Finger-Twister curse I put on you in second-year? Well, I know how to twist any _other_ part of your body in the same way, do you get my drift?" Draco watched Severus all the while he was speaking, and he radiated with an angry spark while Lestrange wilted. Obviously, Severus had more strength with magic than did Lestrange. That, and only that, was why Lestrange finally sat down and nodded.

It was not a subject touched upon very often in the Wizarding world, but there definitely were wizards and witches that were stronger than others. Many people said it doesn't matter how strong one's powers are, as long as they are used well. That might be true to an extent, but then again, in a situation like tonight's, Severus' strength was definitely handy. Lestrange knew that he would not win in any sort of duel with Severus, and so he backed down.

Draco had heard things said about himself, things like how he had power enough to rival even someone like Albus Dumbledore or Voldemort. He personally had his doubts. He was just sure that Harry Potter must have been the more powerful; how else had he survived the curse that no other wizard or witch had ever survived? One thing was for sure; he certainly wasn't powerful without knowledge. And he obviously had some major problems if someone who is as powerful as he allegedly was had to throw books at a werewolf to get it to leave him alone! Draco eyed Lestrange, who, though cowed for the moment, was seething. He wouldn't dare attack Severus, but if he ever sensed Draco's vulnerability, he would be easy meat for Lestrange. He shivered slightly as he left for the dormitory. And when he checked his trunk and found his dagger cleverly hidden inside, he let out a breath of relief.


	14. Veritaserum

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 14: Veritaserum

It was Tuesday morning, and Draco was exhausted from his late night detention with Professor Dumbledore. He winced as he looked at his hands, which were quite raw from all that scrubbing. But it was all worthwhile; Draco had accomplished a great deal on Monday. It was just unfortunate that it had incurred Professor Dumbledore's wrath.

Of course, that was all on account of the fact that Draco had stolen one of the house-elves from the kitchen in the wee hours of Monday morning, for the express purpose of poisoning Professor Colton's tea. In order to accomplish that, Draco had broken the house-elf's Hearth-binding spell, and had put a new one on Slytherin's Hearth in the common room. Dumbledore wasn't amused, even when Draco gave the lame excuse that Slytherin really needed it's own house-elf...

Severus wasn't amused either, especially when it became very apparent during Draco's first lesson with Professor Foxworth that he really didn't know very much about Defense Against the Dark Arts. So, at the end of class, Draco was told that he's better get some major help fast before he has to take his O.W.L.s. Severus was the logical tutor; he was quite adept at the subject. But Severus was in a rather churlish mood with Draco because of the house-elf incident.

Of course, by Monday evening, everyone had heard that Professor Colton had suddenly taken quite ill. He very well might have to have a substitute teacher for Tuesday's classes. This news seemed to lift everyone's mood, even Sev's. That night, they spent a bit of time going over the potion ingredients list once again for the Veritaserum. Now, Draco had it committed to memory, and as the class stood in the hallway waiting for the substitute to arrive, Draco drew a deep breath. He watched Professor McGonagall come down the hallway to the dungeon door.

"I am indeed sorry to inform you that Professor Colton is still too ill to teach his classes today. Instead, I shall be supervising you this morning. I expect the same behavior that you would use in his class; this is not a free period. Now, follow me," she ordered them. There were quite a few snickers, even from McGonagall's own Gryffindors, and when the classroom filled, the seating arrangement was completely changed. Friends sitting with friends in large groups; naturally, the Gryffindor Four made a round group of cauldrons, and Severus and Draco paired up immediately. For a few seconds, there was quite a buzz of talking in the room, which was certainly not the usual behavior accepted in Colton's class.

McGonagall announced that they would be working on their expectorant potions today. Draco shrugged; that potion was an easy one, and the room would reek of boiled echinacea, so it would cover up any smell made by brewing the Veritaserum. Severus went to the sinks, but Draco walked slowly up to McGonagall. He wasn't going to brew anything at all; he was going to distract the substitiute. And he had just the way to do it...

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm sure Mr. Snape would appreciate your aid by the cauldrons," Professor McGonagall said crisply when he appeared before her at the desk.

Draco turned to look at Severus; he was slipping over to Colton's private storage closet. Draco wasn't sure if McGonagall was aware that the closet was off-limits to students, so he leaned in and whispered so she would have to lean down to hear him. "I need to know everything you can tell me about Animagi..."

"Mr. Malfoy! Surely you learned about Animagi in your third year, like everyone else." She seemed rather certain of this, as she would _never_ make an error like that!

"But you see, that's just the thing. I am not at all certain that I learned everything. I found out that I'm not at all prepared for the Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. And now, I'm wondering whether I've learned all I could about Animagi." Professor McGonagall looked like she'e been accused of something very dire. "Do you know if a person can be an Animagi just by looking at them?"

"Of course not! That is why they are required to register themselves with the Ministry of Magic when they find out that the have the Talent. I assure you, Mr. Malfoy, the Talent is extremely rare!" Draco listened to her, all the while thinking _if only you knew about Potter and Black and Pettigrew..._

"I guess I meant to ask it this way. I know that you are an Animagi. Can _you_ tell if someone is an Animagi by looking at him?" he asked.

"No, unless there is personal contact with a person. Then, there is supposedly a chance. I have heard of it, but I myself have never been able to sense anything from another person, even those I knew to be Animagi like myself. I certainly hope that you aren't thinking of attempting to transform," she said as sharply as a person could say something sharply while whispering. "It is extremely dangerous to do something like that!"

"One last question. Can someone change another person into his or her Animagi form by accident?"

Professor McGonagall glared at him. "My goodness! I should think not! No one ever changed me into a cat before I changed myself into one. Just because you may have been a victim of an Tranfiguration curse does not mean..." she sputtered, but then trailed off. With less certainty, she added, "I have never heard of such a thing."

Draco turned around and saw Severus. What the hell was he doing trying to get Lily Evans to come over to his cauldron? "Er, I had better get back to Sev, before he gets mad. You know how he can get sometimes..." And then he winked at McGonagall; her blue eyes looked ready to shoot angry bolts of lightning. Draco sauntered back to Severus, who was looking at Lily, who was looking like she might just wilt away if he came one step closer to her.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Draco hissed over the steaming cauldron. "Thinking with your balls again?"

Severus glared murderously at Draco. "I'm not going to become a monk just because you're one!" he snapped back.

"Eat shit, Snape," Draco snapped back.

In angry silence, Severus brewed the Veritaserum, while Draco quickly brewed the expectorant potion. McGonagall wasn't totally stupid though, as she noticed Draco and Severus working on separate cauldrons. She had a suspecting look on her face as Draco handed in Severus' and his vials to her at the end of class.

At lunch, Avery and Evan were cracking jokes about Colton's condition, and Lestrange was sitting alone, stewing in his own juices. Draco watched the Gryffindor table carefully, taking special note of Potter, Black and Pettigrew. How did they know about him? And how was he going to get the truth out of them? Well, he thought to himself, first things first. He had the tiny vial of Veritaserum in his pocket, and he was determined to use it as soon as he got his damned Invisibility Cloak. What the hell was taking so long?

After dinner that evening, Draco had Quidditch practice, which really helped to take his mind off things. Severus came out to watch, hiding among the bleachers, so that no one else but Draco knew he was there. Draco hoped that maybe this meant that Severus might get back on a broom one of these days. Otherwise, he didn't understand why Severus would want to watch anyone playing Quidditch at all.

The next morning, Draco got a note that a parcel was waiting in the post office in Hogsmeade. Draco was certain that it was the Invisibility Cloak, but was irate over the fact that he had to wait until Saturday to pick it up. He hadn't told Severus about it yet. He decided he'd wait until he had it, and went out to explore with it on first before he told Severus anything.

Drucilla was being pretty nice to him, thankfully, because her two friends weren't. Especially Lily. She probably figured that anyone associated with Snape had to be vermin. Aunt Andi was as nice as a person in her awkward situation could be. Drucilla, however, didn't seem to notice her friends' lack of enthusiasm. She and Draco made plans to meet in The Three Broomsticks for butterbeers on Saturday afternoon. Now Draco felt even more eager for Saturday to come around.

**********

On Saturday, the weather was rather nasty. But this didn't deter anyone from leaving the school and walking down to the village of Hogsmeade. Severus had been grouchy about being rushed to the post office, only to have to wait outside in the mist while Draco rushed in to get his package. By the time he came out, Severus had a face on him that might stop a clock.

"Let's eat, Sev. I'll bet you're hungry again," Draco reasoned. He led Severus to the Three Broomsticks. As they opened the doors and saw all the other students from Hogwarts, Draco smiled. Lestrange wasn't around. But Perry Albright was nearby with another fourth-year girl from Hufflepuff. He waved hello to him, and then saw the Gryffindor Four entering the already crowded pub. Severus made even more of a scowl as they sat down at the counter.

Two butterbeers later, Severus was a bit more mellow, but only a bit. Draco kept himself restricted to one. "Say," Severus drawled. "There's Foxworth..." Draco turned around on his stool, and to his dismay, he saw Foxworth at the other end of the counter, engrossed in conversation with James Potter. "What does Potter want with him?" Severus growled. He didn't like the idea of Potter talking more than two words in a row to his favorite teacher, Draco could tell.

"I'll find out. Watch the package..." he ordered Severus, who looked like he was about ready to spit fire. Draco shook his head; Severus had more mood swings than a pregnant woman sometimes... He approached Foxworth's vicinity, and Potter shot him a warning look.

"I thought I'd schedule those extra classes now, Professor Foxworth," Draco cut in, to Potter's obvious dismay.

"I was speaking to Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy," Foxworth growled.

"And I'm sure it's quite important, sir. But you had been so eager to share a drink with me earlier in the week..." Draco said, sitting next to Foxworth, offering him a butterbeer. "Let's share that drink now, eh?" He poured butterbeer into Foxworth's glass, then took a drink from the bottle of what was left over. Foxworth sighed, and drank up himself.

"Professor Foxworth..." Potter said in an urgent voice.

"Beat it Potter, before I give you a nasty headache again..." Draco snarled. Potter glared at Draco through his thick glasses, but he retreated. "Now then," Draco said, watching Professor Foxworth's eyes glaze over, "I think we should talk in a more private spot, don't you?" He led Foxworth through the throngs of students to the back door.

"What did you give me?" Foxworth asked Draco when they stepped out to the back of the Three Broomsticks, where the garbage cans resided.

"Veritaserum," Draco shrugged.

"How did you do it?" Foxworth asked.

"The butterbeer, of course. I poured you a glass, remember?" Draco answered.

"But you drank it too," Foxworth protested.

"The bottle was empty," Draco revealed. "Though, I suppose you could say that there was some on the rim of the bottle. That's probably why I'm even telling you this. But let's just say that I took a calculated risk.** I'm not the one who's got things to hide, now do I?" Draco smirked.

"You don't know what you're dealing with, Malfoy," Foxworth warned.

"But you're going to tell me, aren't you?" Draco stated. "Now then, I suppose I could start out by asking you about the werewolf. Why did you give me that Forgetfulness Potion?"

"Why indeed? The word of the werewolf was not supposed to get out. A panic would have resulted from it. People don't understand anything about werewolves."

"Especially me, it seems. Do you know I nearly died that night, apparently?"

"All the more reason to have you forget the trauma," Foxworth said.

"You know, if you didn't have three drops of Veritaserum in your system right now, I's swear to God that you were bullshitting me a bit more." Draco paced around, and tried to think. He hadn't expected to have this opportunity to interrogate Foxworth, and therefore, he didn't have the questions he wanted to ask all thought out. It was obvious that he wasn't asking the right ones.

Then, he decided to try a different tactic. "What were you talking about with Potter? And don't tell me the fucking weather," Draco warned Foxworth.

Foxworth replied calmly, "We were talking about the Order of the Phoenix."

**********

** Thanks to Atheis for that one!


	15. Threats

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 15: Threats

"The Order of the Phoenix..." Draco repeated, as if trying the words out on his tongue. It sounded important, and secret. "And Potter is part of this Order?"

"Yes," Foxworth answered.

Draco opened his mouth, just about to ask what the Order of the Phoenix was all about, when suddenly, the most bizarre thing happened. Draco found himself getting attacked by a young stag, which somehow appeared out of nowhere. "Aah!" Draco cried, trying to sheild his eyes from getting poked out by the angry stag's antlers. "Hey! Stop it! Knock it off!"

The stag didn't back off until Draco retreated from the back of The Three Broomsticks. He had to leave Professor Foxworth behind, which killed him, but if he didn't, that darn stag was going to kill him even faster. As soon as Draco left the scene, he saw the stag's very quick retreat. _If that wasn't Potter in his Animagus form,_ Draco thought, _then I'm a Hufflepuff..._

And then it hit him; Drucilla was supposed to meet him! He probably missed her, and she probably thought he forgot, or ducked out on her! "Damn it!" Draco growled, and came back into The Three Broomsticks. Severus was still there, with an exaggerated bored look on his face, still guarding Draco's package. He didn't know whether he wanted to kick Severus or not.

"Drucilla came by," Severus reported in a very insufferable tone, "and I had to tell her that you wandered off somewhere with Professor Foxworth. So, she left with Lily and Andi. What are you looking so mad about? It's not like she thought you went off with some other girl at least," Severus growled.

"Let's get out of here. We have to go back to Hogwart's; there's some major shit going down here, and I unwittingly have stumbled right into the middle of it," Draco told Severus. Severus frowned, finished his butterbeer, and handed Draco his package silently. Draco took the package, and he culd sense that Severus hadn't tried to open the package, but was trying to guess what was in there. It occurred to Draco suddenly that Severus, despite being a Slytherin, seemed to be rather more trustworthy than most of them. No wonder Dumbledore grabbed Snape up; he could be trusted, as long as he was on your side, even if he did bitch about it.

"Thanks for keeping that for me, by the way," Draco said on the way out of the doors. Severus grunted, still apparently miffed at being left alone in the pub.

After they walked out of Hogsmeade, and they were very nearly alone on the path back to the school, Severus growled in a low voice, "Now, you're going to tell me what the hell is going on, Malfoy, and you're going to tell me right now, or you're going to wish you were never born."

"God, I don't know where to begin...Have you ever heard of the Order of the Phoenix?" Draco asked.

"The Order of the Phoenix?" another voice asked behind them. To both boys' amazement, they found Lestrange right behind them. "I've heard of them. Aren't they some sort of club?"

To be polite, Draco answered, "It certainly sounds like it is. How did you hear of it?"

"I think they are supposed to be some group that are against...the Dark Lord," Lestrange added softly, not answering Draco's question directly. "Why, they are supposed to be a top secret sort of thing. I bet the Dark Lord would consider information about them very highly prized."

"And you know this because..." Draco prompted.

Lestrange gaped at Draco. "Malfoy! Surely you'd think the Dark Lord would want such knowledge of who his enemies are! Wouldn't you?" Draco made a face. Considering how he'd been scurrying all over the place since last week trying to find out why someone would try to murder him, he could understand Lestrange's point. But, Lestrange sounded just a bit too sure about it, just like he knew a lot more than he was admitting to. Draco knew Lestrange's background, and his fate. "You know something about the Order, don't you?" Lestrange asked softly.

"I...I don't know anything of any value," Draco sputtered, "except you could bet any amount of money that Dumbledore's the head of it."

Lestrange looked annoyed. "Of course _Dumbledore_ is the head of it. That's something any damned fool could figure out. But the Dark Lord would want more information than that, Malfoy. Imagine your position if you were the one to give it to him..."

Draco took a breath, and then frowned. "Sorry to disappoint you, Lestrange, but I don't know anything else..." he lied.

Severus added as Lestrange's face grew red, "So, back off, Lestrange. Remember what I told you before about the finger-twisting curse..."

Lestrange snorted. "You don't scare me, Snape! I know a few curses of my own, you know!" Lestrange boasted.

"Really? You want a piece of me, Lestrange?" Severus asked as he started pulling out his wand.

Lestrange backpedalled immediately. "I don't want to fight with you, Sev. It's all his fault. We've been fighting ever since he came here!" he complained.

"Well that's because you've been acting like an asshole since he came here!" Severus argued.

They were now on school grounds. "Sev, take this back to the dorm for me. I have a feeling that I'm not going to be getting down there for a while." Draco handed Severus the package back. As they apporached the Great Hall, Draco decided to try and get Severus and Lestrange away before Dumbledore came down to find him. He was sure that the Veritaserum had worn off for Foxworth, and he was also sure that Potter had taken him back to Dumbledore and told the headmaster everything about what Draco had done. He didn't want Severus involved and he defintely didn't want Lestrange around when Dumbledore found him.

So when they departed, going down to the Slytherin Common Room, Draco instead made his way upstairs to Dumbledore's office. It came as no surprise to Draco to find James Potter standing at the stone gargoyle statue, but it appeared that Potter was surprised to see Draco there.

"Oh don't let your eyes pop out of your skull, Potter. You didn't think I was going to avoid this, did you? Besides," he added, lowering his voice, "it's good to see that your antlers have been put away, after you nearly poked my eyes out with them."

"Antlers? What are you talking about?" James asked.

"Oh please just cut the bullshit, alright? You're an animagus, and so are your little friends. I overheard you and Black and the others last Sunday in the owlrey. And you know, somehow, that I'm one as well. So, unless we want to go to Professor McGonagall and tell her all about it, you are going to teach me how to transform into my animal form." Draco said all of this in a very cool, soft voice. Though James appeared outraged, Draco knew that he wanted McGonagall to find out about his ability about as much as he wanted to kiss Draco's ass. Unfortunately, he'd have to choose one or another...

After a few seconds, James said very softly, "Sirius is the one you'd have to go to. He's the most adept of all of us. He's the one who was able to sense that you were an animagus in the first place. But he said that you did change already once..." James trailed off.

"During my fourth year, one of my teachers transfigured me," Draco told him.

James appeared horrified. "What school was this?" he gasped.

Draco smirked; he remembered that McGonagall had reacted the exact same way. "It was this very school," he revealed dramatically. James appeared to have to digest this information, so Draco gave him a few seconds. In those few seconds, Dumbledore appeared.

"Mr. Malfoy. Just the person I wanted to see, and here you are. Mr. Potter, was there anything else that you needed to add?"

"Er, no, Professor. That was it," he answered sullenly. Professor Dumbledore nodded, and James slouched off into the corridor. Without a word, Draco was led upstairs again into Dumbledore's inner sanctum.

Only once the door was shut, Dumbledore felt free to vent his outrage. "Mr. Malfoy, I don't think in the entire history of this school have we ever had one student that could cause so much trouble in less than two weeks! You have been wandering all over the school, causing fights, poisoning teachers! I want you to explain yourself, right now!"

"Listen, this all started with Professor Colton's stunt! He locked me in his office with a werewolf!"

"You can't prove that he actually locked you in the room with a werewolf, Mr. Malfoy. I agree, that he put you and Mr. Lupin at risk without good reason, but he is a professor in this school, and as such, I am the one who must deal with him, not you." Dumbledore countered.

"Do you really think that I poisoned Professor Colton because I wanted to punish him? Hell, no! I poisoned him because I wanted to get access to his private stores and brew Veritaserum to give to Professor Foxworth, who fed me forgetfulness potion last week. I wanted to know what he was trying to get me to forget. I figured that I'd be able to get him to confess the truth."

"And instead, you found yourself with knowledge that could be more of a detriment to you than anything Professor Foxworth had been trying to keep from you." Dumbledore sighed and sat into his seat behind his desk. He looked very worried and disappointed. "Yes, I know that you heard about the Order of the Phoenix. I know that you know nothing more about it, but others here might think that you do, and that could be deadly to you."

_You're not kidding,_ Draco thought, Lestrange is already thinking of how to best serve me up to the Dark Lord. "So what are you going to do? Expel me? I'd probably be better off!" Draco declared, then turned around to walk out.

Dumbledore said from behind, "You wouldn't last one week outside these walls, Mr. Malfoy. With the apparent lack of Defense Against the Dark Arts training you have, you wouldn't be able to fight off any magical attack very well," the headmaster warned.

"Fortunately, I have Severus to help me with that. He's very good," Draco told Dumbledore over his shoulder.

"I pray for your sake that Severus can help you quickly. You must concentrate fully on that, Mr. Malfoy. You life depends upon it."


	16. Lessons

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 16: Lessons

Draco made his way back down to the Slytherin Common room. Severus appeared to have retreated to the dorm, and Draco paid Lestrange no mind as he quickly left his company and found Severus sitting on his bed.

"What's up?" Draco asked.

"You tell me," Severus replied.

Draco sat on the edge of his own bed. "Well, let's see. I've got two teachers who think I'm a mad poisoner, a headmaster who would like nothing better than to throw me out of here, and a dorm mate who wants me served up to Voldemort nice and rare. What else can I say?"

"Don't say that. There are plenty of people who like you..." Severus said quietly.

Draco laughed harshly. "Yeah, they like me alright. But they'd like me even better if I was dead." He ran his hand through his white-blonde hair and snorted, "Even Drucilla, thanks to my pre-occupation with life-and-death situations. Y'know Sev, once upon my own time, there was another kid (I'm not telling who) that used to be mixed up in shit like this. Voldemort, suffice to say, wanted him dead. He had lots of adventures. I used to be so _jealous_ of him! He used to get all the attention. All the glory! Everything always worked out for him! I guess I'm just not cut out to be a hero..." Draco sighed.

Severus made a face. "What a dipshit you are, Draco Malfoy! You're a _Slytherin,_ dammit! We're not heroes! We just want to survive. And because we're Slytherins, we _do_ survive, even if other people don't particularly admire our tactics. Who gives a rat's ass? Let them all _kiss my asp..."_ Severus said.

"Oh yeah? Go tell that to Dumbledore. He's mightily pissed with me right now."

"Why? Because you gave Colton a much needed laxative? Please! No matter how much the Gryffindor fools Potter and Black think they've covered every prank in the book, they still can't claim credit for one of the best ones in Hogwart's history," Severus sniffed, turning up his formidable nose.

"What does this have to do with Colton?" Draco argued.

"He's not the first person at this school to have been slipped a potion in his tea. A few years back, on Halloween night, the kids and staff here were treated to a certain potion that caused a very curious reaction. It seemed that when they had to retire to the toilet, they would discover, much to their astonishment, that their urine had turned _purple._ You should have heard the screams coming up and down the corridors..."

"Sev, are you kidding? Imagine standing there, starting to take a piss and..." Draco broke off, and smiled. "It's wicked. That's what it is, Sev. Wicked. I bet the first years were thinking they were dying or something..." Draco trailed off, chuckling at the thought of panicked first years thinking there was some sort of plague going around. "Was Dumbledore amused?"

"Oh hell yeah! He thought it was a grand joke, though the idea of everyone in the school being given a potion in their pumpkin juice, even if it was totally and completely harmless, seemed to unnerve even him."

"He never found out it was you, did he?" Draco grinned.

Severus' black eyes sparkled. "Of course not. Who would ever suspect sour-faced, nasty, depressing Severus Snape would pull a prank, especially one of that magnitude? He was grilling Black, Potter and his lot for two weeks before finally giving up on finding out the truth. That was the best part of it, you know..." Severus grinned. "Here they were being accused of something they not only didn't do, but would never know _how_ to do it either, and thus, could never claim that they did do it. It was sweet, I tell you..." Severus' face fell then. "But, for some reason I just don't get, revenge's sweetness never seems to last very long. Have you ever noticed that?"

"Don't remind me," Draco said irritably as he scowled. "The idea of Colton shitting his brains out was really funny at first. Now, I'm the one who's in deep shit..."

"What are you going to do about it?" Severus asked.

Draco didn't answer at first. He eyed the package on his bed. And an idea began to formulate in his head. "I think that we can do something, Sev. But I'm going to need your help; I need someone I can trust. Can I trust you?" Draco asked.

"You're asking me? But, Malfoy, I'm a _Slytherin!_ The epitome of untrustworthiness and villainy!" Severus gasped with exaggerated tones.

"Knock it off, Snape. _Professor_ Snape," Draco emphasized.

"Eat shit and die, Malfoy," Severus sniffed.

"I need to trust you, Sev. No jokes now. I mean it. It really is now a matter of life and death."

"What is it?" Severus asked. Draco drew a deep breath, and began explaining about some of the things he'd been finding out in the past week. He unpacked his Invisibility Cloak. Severus gasped as Draco put it on. "I didn't think you could just order one out of the paper like that! You were really lucky to come upon it, Draco."

"Well, if you go along with my plan, you'll be the one wearing this a lot of the time," Draco explained.

"What about you?" Severus protested.

"I have another option that's not open to you. I have another means of disguise that you wouldn't be able to use. Sev, from what I've been able to gather, I'm an Animagus..." Draco revealed.

Severus' black eyebrows rose very high. "How can you be sure? Have you ever transformed?"

"I think I did, once, inadvertantly. The point is this. I have to learn how to transform into my animal form. Then, you can take the Invisibility Cloak, and I'll scurry down the hallways in my animal form..."

"Malfoy, what if your animal form is an elephant? You won't be doing too much scurrying around then, will you?" Severus pointed out.

"Don't worry, I think I know what my animal form is. It's quite small. Look just help me out with Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I'll worry about the learning how to transform into my animal form." Draco began to pace the room. He still wasn't sure that he should have told Severus about his possible ability. Not because he didn't trust him, but because Severus could sometimes be so stubborn if he saw a plan that wasn't planned the way he would have planned it.

Severus stared after Draco for a couple of long moments, then sighed. "Well, fine then. I'll teach you everything I've learned in Defense. But, don't come crying to me if you wind up running around with a tail coming out of your ass..."

* * * *

All Sunday, Severus and Draco began going over the Defense Against the Dark Arts that he's learned. They used Professor Foxworth's classroom. Draco had always prided himself on being able to pick up on anything being taught to him, and of course, Severus was a natural teacher (thought he'd rather die than admit it), but it was still a great deal of territory to cover. Severus' knowledge on the subject was vast. It was little wonder that in Draco's own time, the rumors used to fly around about Professor Snape wanting the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher position. Thanks to Severus, Draco now had a few new counter-curses in his arsenal. These would have to do until next time.

After spending eight hours there, Severus had a quiet pensive look on his face, while Draco was bone-tired from dodging some of Severus' worst curses (and getting hit with quite a few of them, too). They were silent until they reached the Great Hall for dinner. Then, Draco ventured to say, "I bet I know what you're thinking."

"What could I possibly be thinking after using magic all day?" Severus complained.

"That you like being a teacher..." Draco answered softly.

This statement had the effect of turing Severus into something that resembled the bull that got stung in the nose by a bee. "I thought you were going to knock it off with that shit, Malfoy," he growled.

"Tut, tut, a lover's spat..." Lestrange said while shaking his head. "Really, you two ought to tone it down. I mean, eight hours later, and now you're arguing... How do you think this all looks to the rest of us?"

Severus was in a very dangerous mood, and Lestrange had picked the wrong time to incite him. "Get out of my sight before I turn you inside out, Lestrange!" he seethed. Lestrange took one look at Sev's face and backed away, visibly disturbed by the threat. Draco watched his retreat, and then noticed in the background, Sirius Black was eyeing him. And he didn't look much happier than Lestrange or Severus did. But, he nodded his head once. _Meet me in the old classroom near the Restricted Section of the library at eleven-thirty._

Draco waited until Severus stalked off before subtly nodding his head once in agreement...

**********

At eleven-twenty five that evening walking throught the darkened halls of Hogwarts, Draco wore his newly acquired invisibility cloak. He had taken a short nap before, so he wasn't terribly tired. He hoped that his lesson would prove as easy as wearing this cloak was. He didn't understand why he hadn't demanded that his father buy him one a long time ago. It would have made his life so much easier! He passed through the Restricted Section with ease, feeling a quick pang that he didn't have the time to grab one or two of the books on those forbidden shelves before he had to leave!

He found the abandoned classroom that Sirius had told him about. Just before entering, Draco took off his cloak and put it down beside the doorway, because he didn't want Black to know he had it. Inside, it was very dusty, and the light was barely existant. Sirius had created a sphere of glowing light that illuminated his face. He had his arms folded, and an unhappy look on his face.

Without preamble, Sirius said, "Before we begin, I would like to make one thing perfectly clear. The only reason I agreed to this harebrained idea of James was so that you would keep our mutual abilities a secret. For the record, I think you are a low-lying piece of shit to have to resort to blackmail to get your way, but since you're a Slytherin, you already know that."

"I'm glad that we're getting all this off our chests now, rather than later. For the record, I don't want to hear any more of your whining just because I've got you and your friends by your balls," Draco retorted.

"Watch it, Malfoy; I might wind up teaching you how to transform into a slug. Then, I'll step on you," Sirius snapped.

"Well now. That would be _murder,_ wouldn't it? You really want to go to Azkaban that much, do you?" Draco drawled, his voice inflecting the knowledge of Sirius Black's imprisonment in the future. Sirius didn't appear to understand Draco's tone; he shrugged and then without further ado began the lesson.

After about two hours of trying to find his "inner animal," Draco thought he felt some sort of change, primarily around his nose. Sirius burst out laughing.

"What is it?" Draco squeaked. Gad, he even sounded like an animal!

"Sorry," he gasped. "It's just that if you had a little pigtail in the center of your head you'd look just like Cindy-Lou Who..."

"Damn," Draco spat. His nose suddenly felt normal again, and he heard a pop. It was a real struggle trying to keep his nose even like that, and he was nowhere near even resembling a ferret! Draco was frustrated; the experience was like trying to hold onto a snake covered with grease.

"I'm going to have to tell James that you started transforming; he'll be shocked. He and I didn't think you'd be changing for weeks." Draco's jaw dropped. "I guess that's why he had me try to teach you first."

"But it's so hard to keep the form! How am I ever going to hold onto the transformations I make long enough to complete it? and what about if I ever do? How long will I be able to hold myself in animal form?" Draco demanded.

Sirius answered, "It takes practice to hold the form; it takes a great deal of concentration at first. But you know who's good at hold his form a long time is Peter. We've tested him; he's been able to hold it for an entire weekend! It took him forever to make the change at first; you were a lot faster than Peter or James. Almost as fast as me. Is your father an animagus? Or you mother? I've heard it's hereditary, though neither of my parents can do it, and I don't think James' parents were. We'll never know, they've been dead for ages. Oh well, we'd better get back. You look like you might fall asleep on your way back to your Common room."

Draco didn't answer, because he ws indeed too tired to answer. He just nodded, and Sirius left, leaving Draco in pitch darkness. He felt his way out the door, nearly forgetting his Invisibility Cloak, and then stumbled his way back to Slytherin House.

**********

Note: I remember my biology teacher telling me about a certain compound that, when put into a drink, would cause a person's urine to turn purple. It was a college prank, so he said, but I unfortunately can't recall what it was. Just so you know that Snape's prank is something that supposedly can be done, though I'd never actually tried it myself...


	17. Colton Again

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 17: Colton Again

The next few days were relatively quiet ones. Lestrange behaved himself, treading very softly around Severus, lest he invoke the boy's wrath again. Draco also laid low; he was secretly going for those lessons with Sirius Black, and he didn't want Severus to know about them.

Lately, everyone had begun worrying about their O.W.L.s. Draco considered having Dumbledore declare him exempt from the Defense Against the Dark Arts test, but he knew that deep down, he really wanted to be able to take that test along with everyone else. He didn't want to be a retard and have to do it over the summer. It made him mad. How come he was so crappy at the course? No one understood it. Anytime he thought of it, he got a picture in his mind of the books he was throwing at the werewolf.

Severus had of course noticed Draco's change. Draco knew that Sev had questions, but Draco didn't wish to provide the answers; the boy was already involved too deeply in this quest of his. He knew this to be certain when they both recieved owls from Professor Colton:

_You will report to the potions dungeon for detention at seven-thirty on Friday evening.  
Professor Colton_

They both looked at their slips glumly. This no doubt was because of the potion used for Colton's "illness" last week. Not that he'd gained anything from the whole stunt! It just pissed Draco off.

Friday afternoon, classes were let out a bit earlier than usual, as it was the beginning of Easter break. Fortunately for Draco, Severus wasn't planning on going home to see his uncle during the holiday. But Sirius Black was leaving for a couple of days. During their last lesson, Draco managed to hold onto his form long enough to have a set of short wiry whiskers left sprouting under his nose. This caused no end of jokes from Black and his cronies, who were making faces at him from the Gryffindor table at lunch, holding their fingers across under their noses, like they had mustaches that they were trying to hide.

"What the hell is with them?" Severus growled as he stirred his soup mutinously.

"Oh, it's nothing," Draco answered airily, smirking at the Marauders from his seat.

"Are you sure? I have this strong urge to knock Potter's glasses off his snotty nose; you should take advantage of it," Severus declared.

"Severus, don't! I don't mind their dumb little jokes at all, and neither should you. We should just concentrate on getting this damned detention with Colton over with. Then, we've got an entire week off! We could work on more Defense Against the Dark Arts, unless you don't really want to take up your whole vacation with tutoring me. I'd understand that."

"It's no big deal," Severus answered gruffly, then stuck his spoon in his mouth before he could speak again. Draco and Severus ate in silence after that. Draco was starting to feel like he really didn't deserve Severus as a friend. After all, he was keeping things from Severus, sneaking around to learn from Sirius Black behind Severus' back, and taking up the boy's time with his problems. And getting him into trouble; he bet that Severus never got detentions before he came along. Actually, he himself virtually never served detention either, before he had gone through the dark corridor.

Since there was no class after lunch, Severus went back to the Slytherin Common room, while Draco went off an extra Quidditch practice. Since they had to share the field with Hufflepuff, they decided to make up a mock game. He eyed some of Hufflepuffs players, and saw that their beaters were just as bulky as Slytherin's. Draco had heard rumors that those two giants guarded the Hufflepuff doors from others trying to come inside their common room. Only a very select few could enter through their guard. Draco was sure that Drucilla's girlfriends, Lily and his Aunt Andi, could get in there. And then it occurred to Draco that he really ought to try and make amends with Drucilla. He really didn't _mean_ to stand her up in the Three Broomsticks. It just couldn't be helped. This whole damned thing that he was supposed to be doing, whatever it was, was taking up Draco's whole life! How was he supposed to do anything else when he had so much on his mind? Like who else, besides Potter, and Foxworth, and surely Black, was in the Order of the Phoenix?

A Bludger whirrled past his head, and he nearly spun from the tailwind from it. "Malfoy! Concentrate!" Simmons screamed at him. Draco gulped and nodded. Simmons had already lost one Seeker this year; he couldn't afford to lose another one!

Draco was glad to see practice come to an end, just before dinner. Before he landed, he noticed Lestrange and his sister Rachel near the bleachers, trying to stay low. They looked like they were doing something fun and exciting, yet secret. They couldn't be... Draco shook himself mentally. They were siblings, for pity's sake! In spite of himself, Draco was very curious to know what they were doing, so he glided silently around the stands to the other side, where the backside was natually more accessible. Between the multitude of wooden beams, Draco could see Lestrange and Rachel hovering over something, and Lestrange seemed to be poking the ground with his wand. If he listened very hard, Draco could make out sqeaking sounds. What could they be doing? At least they had their clothes on, and their hands off eachother...

They must have realized the time, because, abrputly, Lestrange and Rachel rose from their crouched positions, and then Lestrange stepped hard on something under his foot. Draco waited until they scurried off, and then he entered. He bet they were smoking something they shouldn't have been, he thought as he approached the spot where the had been. But instead of finding a crushed cigarette, or even a joint, he found, of all things, a dead salamander. That was what Lestrange had crushed under his heel. Draco's stomach turned. He'd stomped on insects before, certainly, but he wouldn't kill a salamander, especially in such a manner. They never hurt anybody. What could they have been doing to it? Was it the salamander that made those terrible sounds?

Draco concluded as he flew back to the school that Lestrange was a complete freak, and his sister not much better. They were most likely torturing that salamander, and Draco knew that any kid that tortures animals usually turns out to be a serial killer or something like that. He'd have to tell Severus about his former friend's extracurricular activities right away, so he could be on the lookout for Lestrange.

* * * *

On the way to the Potions Dungeon after dinner, Draco told Severus all about Lestrange. His friend didn't look surprised about it. "He's always been mean, Malfoy," Severus told him. "I just didn't realize that his tendencies really meant anything more than that he was just frustrated and angry. You mean he could kill people?" Severus shook his head sadly, and said nothing further until they opened the potions door.

"Well, well," Professor Colton smirked as he stood behind his desk, with his knuckles resting on the dark wooden surface. "If it isn't the Dynamic Duo!"

"At least it's not the night of the full moon," Severus remarked.

"Are you accusing me of something yet again, Snape? You have a nasty mind. No doubt it's a by-product of your uncle's tender loving care..." Colton remarked coolly. Then his eyes turned to Draco. "Do _you_ think I tried to kill you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Does a bear shit in the woods?" Draco snorted, uncaring as to whether he was talking to a teacher or not.

But Colton simply laughed harshly. "Of course, you must consider me far beneath you, seeing as how I am what I am, and you are what you are, yes? But make no mistake, young man, I have full authority over you. And I intend to use it!" Just as Colton finished saying those words, Draco felt the first wave of dizziness assault him. Severus didn't appear to be ill in any way, Draco noted as he slid down to his knees.

"Wha-what's this?" he asked thickly. "You...poisoned me!" Colton's smirk became more cruel.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, I think it's time you learned that neither you nor your friend here are nearly as clever as I am. Despite the fact that I'm a Squib, I seem to be doing just fine. You, on the other hand, don't seem to be terribly crisp as of late, eh? And, by the way, I found which house-elf you used to get the potion into my tea. The same one that poisoned your soup. He's rather easily bribed, I daresay. I think I shall have Professor Dumbledore give him some clothes without further delay..."

Draco watched Severus' face begin to darken. He wished that he himself had the strength. "You son of a bitch! You tell me what you gave him!"

"And just what are you going to do about it?" Colton sniffed.

"You want to know what I'm going to do about it!?" Severus growled. "You'd better begin praying that you never find out! This is probably the lowest I have ever seen you sink, Colton! It's bad enough that you take your _condition_ out on everyone else. It's bad enough that your jealousy of the very students you teach is what fuels you every day. And you couldn't stop at holding back so that we would never learn as much as you know. But now that you've taken to poisoning students and trying to have them bitten by werewolves, it's time that someone put a stop to it. You either tell me what the hell you gave Draco, so I can make an antidote, _or I swear to you I'll Tranfigure you into the cockroach you are and crush you under my heel!"_ During this whole tirade, Colton began shrinking back, much like Lestrange had done when confronted by Severus.

"There..there is no antidote!" Colton shrieked as Severus pulled out his wand.

"Liar!" Severus yelled. "Tell me now!" He pointed the wand at Colton. Draco tried to drag himself up; it was getting easier.

"It has no antidote it doesn't last long it's a temporary effect," Colton gibbered.

"What did you give him, Cockroach?" Severus demanded.

"It's nothing really," Colton cried. Draco could actually see well enough to see tears of fright leaking out of Colton's eyes. He tried to form words on his lips, tried to say the word _enough,_ but the word wouldn't come out. And that was when the worst happened; Colton abruptly grabbed his own chest and gasped. Severus backpedalled as Colton reached over the desk to keep himself from falling face down onto the desktop. With a terrible thud, Colton collapsed.

For a few seconds, Severus just stood frozen with his wand in his hand, staring at Colton. Then, his own rage shifted into panic. "I..I didn't do anything!" he protested loudly. "I swear I didn't do a thing! I didn't touch him!"

"No," Draco managed to say, gasping for the strength to form the next words. "He had a heart attack. You gave him a heart attack, Sev," Draco told him.

"Oh my God! What the hell am I going to do?" Severus ran over to Colton's still form and rolled him over onto his back. "That's typical! Just to get even with me, you go and fucking _die_ on me! Well, not if I have anything to say about it!" he muttered. Draco crawled closer. What could Severus be doing? He saw him place his hand on Colton's chest. Then, Draco sensed an enormous amount of magical power rush through the room. After that, Colton's body jerked up, like a great current had jolted through his prone body, making it leap up in the air. Severus only had enough time to turn to Draco after that. The look in Sev's eyes was one of pure exhaustion. Then, he collapsed next to Colton.

Draco crawled a few more steps and was able to see them both more clearly. He saw Colton's chest rising and falling very peacefully. Severus was unnaturally still. "No..." Draco struggled to reach Severus. He couldn't be dead, not after all this! "Sev, wake up!" he gasped as he reached for him.

"Wait! Don't touch him, Draco!" he heard Professor Dumbledore's voice boom. The headmaster strode in, followed by Madame Pomfrey. Dumbledore waved his wand, and Draco saw a white light surround Severus. "Now, you may try to revive him, though I doubt that you will succeed, Draco," Dumbledore explained. Draco reached for Severus, and found him to be completely loosened, like a rag doll. Draco looked to Dumbledore for an explanation. "It has happened once before."

Madame Pofrey seemed to be fretting a great deal. "He should learn the proper way to heal! Instead of this manner, which leaves him even weaker than the one he's healed."

"I don't understand. What did Severus do?" Draco asked.

"He used pure magic to heal Colton. Why? What had happened here?" Dumbledore asked. Colton groaned and sat up suddenly. He looked to his side and saw Severus beside him. He gave a start, felt his chest, and shook his head.

"Horace? What happened here?" Dumbledore asked him. For a moment, Colton looked very dazed, then, a look of wonder came over him. Draco was getting angrier by the second. Here his friend was unconscious, and Colton was the cause of it!

"I..don't believe it!" Colton whispered. Tears began to run from his eyes again, only this time, Draco didn't think they were from fear. "I...he Healed me! Oh, my!" he gasped, "he needs to get to the hospital wing!"

"Just as I way about to say," Madame Pomfrey huffed. She was about to wave her wand to conjure a stretcher for Severus, but Colton raised his hand up to stop her.

"Please allow me," he said, then took Severus' wand and waved it. _"Mobilicorpus."_ Severus was raised into the air by seemingly invisible strings. Everyone in the room gaped.

"Horace..." Dumbledore whispered in disbelief.

"How in the world did he?" Madame Pomfrey asked. But Draco noticed that she wasn't looking at Colton when she said that. She was looking at Severus.

Draco looked at Colton's aura. The red slash over his head was definitely gone! Suddenly he grew so angry that he thought he might start shooting lightning bolts from his fingers just to blow off the steam. "He healed you?" he asked, shaking with anger.

"We must get Severus someplace where he can rest comfortably," Colton responded. "Then, we can talk about what happened to him." Without another word, Draco fumed as they all began the procession to the Hospital wing.


	18. Uncle Aloysius

A Dark Corridor  
Chapter 18: Uncle Aloysius

_Note: Aloysius is pronounced AL-u-ishes_

About halfway there, Draco saw James Potter emerge from the shadows. "What happened?" he asked Draco when he saw Severus in his unconscious state.

"It's a long story," Draco sighed. All of his anger just leaked out of his system as he exhaled. Dumbledore looked behind him and saw that James was at Draco's side. "I'll tell you later."

"Mr. Potter," said Dumbledore's grave voice. "I am afraid that I must suggest to you very strongly to retire to Gryffindor Tower. Matters here are most severe, and I'm afraid I won't be able to speak with you at all this evening."

"Sure, Professor Dumbledore," James answered. He nodded to Draco and rushed away. Draco was quite certain that he was running the miracle mile back to Gryffindor Tower to tell his chums all about Severus' condition.

"Here, let us get him into bed... Poor child..." Madame Pomfrey fretted. Draco nearly snickered. If she knew half of the stuff Severus did with himself, and other female partners, in his spare time, she'd _never_ call him "poor child." Although, in his stupor, Severus almost did look innocent.

"And yourself, young man!" Madame Pomfrey turned on Draco. Draco began sputtering about how he was just fine and that he had to leave now.

"You are not going anywhere, Mr. Malfoy. You are taking the sleeping potion that Poppy gives you and you are taking a nice long nap while Professors Colton, Foxworth and I decide what we are going to do with you." Draco gaped; he'd never heard Dumbledore take such a firm tone with anyone in his entire career at Hogwarts! He was about to protest how he hadn't done anything wrong this time, but he shut his mouth as soon as he registered that Dumbledore was not hearing anything he had to say. So, he sat on the bed next to Severus, looked at the potion that Madame Pomfrey offered him, and quipped, "As long as its _Madame Pomfrey's_ concoction..." and downed the contents of the bottle. Draco managed to stay awake long enough to see Colton's unreadable look before he drowned in the darkness of sleep.

* * * *

"This is _unbelievable!_ Twice in one year! Twice, Dumbledore! How is he supposed to take his O.W.L. tests if he's in a _coma?_" Draco heard these words in his dreams. "I'm telling you, if he doesn't pass them because of this, I'm transferring him to Durmstrang! I don't care how far away it is, or how much it's going to cost me to send him there, but I _will not_ tolerate this!" Draco thought for a wild second that it was his father. He'd threatened the Hogwarts school board numerous times that he would take his son out and send him to Durmstrang instead.

But he couldn't go to Durmstrang; he had important things to do at Hogwarts! Draco struggled through the depths of sleep to reach the light and find his father and talk to him. He even managed to open his eyes.

He blinked. "Professor Snape?" he asked fuzzily. The man hovering over the bed next to his certainly looked like Professor Snape. Only, it couldn't be Professor Snape, because this man had snow-white hair framing his face. For his part, the man looked quite amused.

"Harrumph! They wouldn't catch me dead teaching in this place, boy! What did you people give him?" the man asked Dumbledore. Draco sat up; he immediately didn't like this man one bit. Judging from Dumbledore's expression, it was apparent that he didn't like the man any more than Draco did. And then, Draco figured it out. That man must be Severus' much maligned uncle. From what little he'd seen of him he could understand why he was much-maligned.

"Just a sleeping potion, for the time being. It should have been working much better than it apparently is, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore sighed. He sounded weary.

"Listening to him bawling you out woke me up," Draco reported. "And of course, the irony of this is not missed. Since when do you care the least whit about Severus Snape?" he snapped at Uncle Aloysius.

The man gave a very Snape-like scowl to Draco. "And what is it to you?" he sneered.

"I'm Draco Malfoy. I'm Sev's friend. And before you ask, no, we are not shagging eachother," Draco added. Dumbledore gaped, but Aloysius simply raised an eyebrow.

After an amused expression formed on his face, Aloysius retorted, "No, Sev likes to stick his cock into something _warm._ See how well I know him? Who else knows such a thing about him? Only someone who _cares,_ Malfoy." His nostrils flared as Draco huffed and sat back into his bed.

Dumbledore finally spoke up. "Aloysius, I am sure that you are already finding that holding Severus' hand is getting quite boring to you. I therefore strongly suggest that you leave here, and allow Mr. Malfoy to continue his recuperation. I assure you that you will be the very first to know if there is any change in Severus' condition."

"Madame Pomfrey, I need more sleeping potion," Draco called to her. If there was anyone who could shoo someone out of the hospital wing, it was her. And sure enough, just as she arrived with another dose of the potion, Aloysius attempted to stand his ground, but one look from Madam Pomfrey's determined eyes made him retreat.

"I warn you Dumbledore! He'd better be awake to take those tests!" Satisfied that he had the last word, he stalked off.

"Damn," Draco muttered as he watched Madame Pomfrey leave his bedside again. "Sev had told me some things, but I had no idea that his uncle could act like such a dick..."

Dumbledore sighed again. "Aloysius is...difficult to deal with sometimes, I admit it. By the way, young man, I believe we need to have a small talk about your language..."

Draco's eyebrows rose. "Oh! You're right! I've been completely vulgar in my words, haven't I?" He grinned. "Ahem, let me rephrase that. Severus has told me some things, but I was unaware that his uncle could behave like such a penis..."

Dumbledore tried to supress a laugh, and failed. "Ah, I see that your activities of today have not done one thing to your skewed sense of humor. But I think it is high time that you drank that potion, Mr. Malfoy."

"Yes, Sir," Draco sighed, and tipped back the vial's contents into his mouth. "How long is he going to be like that?"

"If he did what we think he did, a couple of weeks. He did something that usually requires a great deal of training and control. He thought that he was healing Professor Colton's health problem. What he was actually doing was quite different. Very soon, I promise to explain it more to you. When he awakens, you both will be brought up to speed. Now, put all of your questions out of your mind."

Draco couldn't supress a yawn as the potion kicked in. "Yeah..." he drawled, then fell asleep again.

* * * *

Draco was released the next day, and he had to fend off the teeming masses of questions being shot at him from every direction. His fellow Slytherins were the first ones to barrage him, but they were certainly not the last. Even Drucilla managed to talk to him.

She caught up with him in the corridor on the way outside to yet another Quidditch practice. "You've been making yourself very scarce," she complained.

"I really didn't mean to, and I'm really sorry. But just as soon thought that you were so pissed with me for what happened at the Three Broomsticks..." Draco stammered.

Drucilla tossed her head back and huffed, "You mean what _didn't_ happened at the Three Broomsticks..."

"Listen, I know I stood you up but I didn't mean to, really. An emergency came up. You know I was in Dumbledore's office the rest of the day, don't you?"

"There are so many rumors going around..." Drucilla frowned. "But I try not to listen to rumors. I know firsthand how lousy your life can get because of rumors..."

"How about we talk it over tonight at dinner?" Draco suggested.

"Alright. After all, your usual dinner partner is in a coma after all. I suppose you could use some company," Dru quipped.

"Now Dru, what were you just preaching about rumors?" Draco reminded her.

Drucilla snorted. "Please! You don't think I believe that shit that Lestrange has been spreading about you and Severus? Now, I'm not sure what he's told you, but let's just say that I personally know his reputation among the female population of this school. Most of them are just as doubtful as I am about yours and his 'relationship.' I mean, even Lily doesn't believe it, and she _hates_ Sev."

"Well, just because she hates him doesn't mean she'd automatically think he's a..." Draco laughed suddenly. "She really hates him?"

"For good reason," Drucilla nodded. Draco sighed. "She's not all that interested in any guys here, and I think it's all Sev's fault. He ought to make it up to her, somehow..." Drucilla frowned.

"You're absolutely right, Dru. He should make it up to her!" Draco agreed. "I think it would be highly entertaining to see him groveling at Lily's feet for forgiveness..."

"I like that in a man," Drucilla grinned. "'You're absolutely right, Dru!' Ah, so refreshing," Drucilla joked. "But I don't think it'll ever happen."

"You know what they say, Dru? 'Never say never.' After all, would I have ever thought that I would wind up time travelling 20 years into the past?" Draco asked.

"I've heard that you don't talk about the times during which you lived. Are you afraid?" Dru asked.

Draco didn't know what to say. "Well," he began, "I am worried that I already have changed things."

"So, then why worry?" Drucilla pointed out, "Since you've already changed some things, maybe you were _meant_ to be here. Maybe even for good."

That's what Professor Dumbledore had said to him when he arrived. But he still wasn't all that sure he was making the changes he was supposed to be making. He hated this lack of control over his life. "You know, let's talk about that later, over dinner. I supposed Andi and Lily will be joining us?"

"No way!" Drucilla spat. "They are going to the Gryffindor table. We'll go to the Slytherin table. I'm not afraid!" she declared. At that, they parted ways.

Later in the day, Draco went up to the hospital wing to see Severus. Unfortuantely, Severus already had visitors. His infernal uncle was back, and to his right was a man Draco had seen pictures of in the past. He was the Minister of Magic, before Cornelius Fudge's time. Dumbledore had a pale, worn out expression on his face. and Madame Pomfrey was wiping a tear from her eyes.

Draco's stomach twisted. "What's going on?" he demanded. Both Aloysius and the Minister of Magic looked up.

"The Ministry has business here. Are you a friend of young Mr. Snape's?" the minister asked.

Draco looked at Severus. He was in a peaceful state, completely unaware of his surroundings. "Wait, what's that thing around his neck?" Draco asked suddenly. For indeed, there was a golden band, roughly an inch thick, around Severus' neck. It didn't even look like it had a clasp to remove it.

Aloysius looked at Draco. "That, Malfoy, is something that a Snape has not worn in over a thousand years. Who would have thought that the family trait would finally surface after a millenium!" He sounded very proud of this. Dumbledore, however, looked rather grim.

"Not every Breaker has been a Snape, Aloysius," the Minister reminded him.

"No, and not every Snape has been a Breaker, obviously. But the trait had run strong in the Snape family. I thought that the old blood was wearing precariously thin, until now. It does my heart good, it really does," he crowed.

"What are you talking about?" Draco asked.

He was rather ignored as the Minister spoke. "He will need to get trained up as soon as possible."

"But who will be able to do that?" Dumbledore asked.

"Alastor Moody will be the best choice, I believe," the Minister answered.

Dumbledore snorted. "Alastor, as old as he is, is still way too young to have remembered the last Breaker. As you will recall, the very last one died over four hundred years ago."

"Well," Aloysius cut in, "what about your friend, Nicholas Flamel? He's certainly old enough to remember the last Breaker!"

"Nicholas never had any dealings with a Breaker, Aloysius. He's an alchemist, not a criminal. I don't even think he knew the last Breaker," Dumbledore retorted.

"Gentlemen, please!" the Minister protested. "Alastor Moody has done extensive research on the subject. For a while, when he was young, it was thought that he might possibly have been one himself. He wasn't, however, but I do think that he will be able to guide this young man into using the Talent..."

"Talent, indeed!" Dumbledore huffed. "Dangerous skill, is more like it."

_"What are you talking about?"_ Draco asked again.

Dumbledore answered this. "Draco, do you know what a Dementor is?"

"Yes..." he answered slowly, thinking back to the time when a Dementor roamed around the Hogwart's Express looking for Sirius Black. And the times when they were guarding the school, thinking that the escaped convict would come after Harry Potter. "They're awful."

"Indeed, the creatures drain energy from those living things around them, until there is no hope left in the individual. Prolonged contact with a Dementor can inhibit a wizard's ability to use magic, you know." Dumbledore looked at Severus laying there before him, and frowned even more.

"What does that have to do with Severus?" Draco demanded.

"The Dementors are used to guard Azkaban. They are the only ones who can keep people from apparating in and out of there, or causing other mayhem and mischief with their powers. They have had to be used since the last Breaker had died, and there appeared to be no hope of the Talent ever resurfacing again," the Minister further explained.

"But now, they have Severus Snape," Aloysius declared, "so they don't need Dementors any longer to control the prisoners of Azkaban."

Draco was getting a feeling that he knew the answer to this one, but he felt the need to say ask anyway. "Why is that?"

"Because, silly boy," Aloysius sneered, "my nephew is a Breaker, a wizard who can cut off anyone else's ability to use magic."


	19. What Peter Said

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 19: What Peter Said

"Wait a minute!" Draco protested. "Severus _cured_ a Squib of his condition? Why are you saying he's someone who can take it away? I don't understand that!"

"Well, young man, a Breaker can take the ability away, but can also give it back," the Minister explained. "Because he 'cured' Mr. Colton in the manner he did, we know that he was born with the ability to destroy what he cured, do you understand?"

"I think I do. But how is he supposed to guard Azkaban?" Draco asked.

"The answer to that is, he doesn't actually guard the fortress. Instead, he will be able to take the ability to use magic from any convicted criminal before they even reach the island. This way, they can serve their time with much less supervision than they have now," the Minister answered.

"But then Azkaban would be just like a regular Muggle jail. I've heard of Muggles that have escaped from their own jails. What would stop a criminal from trying to leave Azkaban on a raft or something?" Draco asked.

"There are two reasons that criminals had never left of their own accord during their sentences at Azkaban. First of all, Azkaban, like many other wizarding areas, is protected with powerful charms to repel Muggles. These charms would keep Muggle ships away from the area, so if, for instance, this crippled wizard tries to float on a raft, what ship would pick him up? How far do you think he would get without magical aid?

"Which brings us to the second reason they wouldn't leave, especially if they are not serving a very long sentence; the very fact that, once their sentence has been carried out, they will regain use to their powers, throught the curative powers of the Breaker. If he escapes, who else would be able to restore his abilities?" the Minister reasoned.

Draco looked at Severus' unconscious form, and shook his head. It was virtually unthinkable, that he could really take the ability to perform magic away from a person. And then, Draco thought of something else, something that made his stomach crawl. He suddenly remembered when he sent that "slice" of psychic energy at Potter and Black during that Quidditch match. Dumbledore had been crawling the wall trying to get Draco to "fix" them up. Could he have possibly been thinking that he'd "Broken" them?

"So what's the collar for?" Draco asked.

"The collar is to prevent Severus from accidentally Breaking anyone without the Ministry's permission. The collar is magically charged to block the ability. The Ministry of Magic holds a key of sorts that will enable him to Break despite the collar on his neck. Just know that since he's got the collar on, he is no threat to anyone at all. And additionally, he will be able to perform magic as he normally did before this incident occurred. The only ones affected by the discovery of the new Breaker would be the prisoners of Azkaban," Dumbledore assured Draco. But Draco still frowned and thought the entire thing sucked ass, big time. Now everybody in school would think he was a freak. Well, even more than they did already...

"As soon as he wakes up, he'll start getting his training. I can't wait to see him in action. You will allow me to supervise him, won't you?" Aloysius asked the Minister.

"I'm certain that you there would provide a great deal of _inspiration_ to him..." Dumbledore responded. Aloysius sneered and hovered over Severus, as though expecting him to wake up just because he was watching him. But after a few moments of watching Severus' uncle behaving in a most nauseating manner, and the Minister speaking to Dumbledore in hushed tones, Draco decided that he'd had enough and made his escape.

But just as he thought he would escape unseen, he ran straight into Peter Pettigrew. The boy was short enough to only reach Draco's shoulder, so he never even saw him until he nearly tripped over him. "Oh, sorry. I didn't see you."

Peter shrugged. "Barely anybody else does, either. I hope you didn't forget your lesson today, with me?" Draco gaped. He _did_ forget. He'd been so distracted with Severus and trying to make up with Drucilla that he completely forgot about his Animagus training!

"I know what you're gonna say. It's alright. What do I care if you learn how to do this or not..." Peter sniffed. Draco frowned, but decided not to argue with him. Besides, he had to ask him an important question...

They used a downstairs room that usually stored extra Quidditch brooms. Draco discovered Peter turned himself into a fat little gray rat. He remembered what Sirius Black had said about Peter, though; that he was able to keep his shape much longer than he or James Potter were. And Peter was supposed to be able to guide Draco into holding his ferret form for as long as possible. At first, Draco was so distracted that he couldn't even change his nose, like he'd been doing.

Frowning, Peter said, "What's going on? Sirius said before he left that you were even down to whiskers! Now you can't even sprout a hair!"

"Look, I've got a lot on my mind!" Draco snapped. "You can answer a question for me, though. Remember the Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Slytherin? When Potter and Black were put in the hospital wing? Did either of them ever tell you what happened?"

Peter drew a deep breath. "I sure do remember that night. I remember when Jim and Sirius came back up to Gryffindor Tower. We were up all night trying to figure out what you did. Remus came up with something really out-of-this-world, and none of us believed him. He said that you had _cut_ them off from their powers. I have never heard of such a thing, and neither did Jim, and he's the best student of us all. Sirius had figured that you disrupted their commnication flow with magic and that was why they were left so out of sorts. Then he figured out that you must have been an Animagus; that was the only way you could have heard them communicating in the first place. You know what I mean?" Peter asked.

"Yeah," Draco nodded. He knew what Peter was talking about, all too well. "Let's try again."

After about another hour of attempting to change his nose, the unthinkable happened. "Holy shit!" Peter screamed. Where Draco Malfoy had been standing, an albino ferret now stood. For a fraction of a minute, of course. In the space of a blink, Draco reappeared. "Wait till I tell Sirius, he's going to be so pissed off that he missed this!" Peter crowed happily. Draco couldn't help but be as glad as Peter was. Maybe Sirius was right, and he had only been able to slice them like he had because all Animagi were on a similar wavelength. That alone made him ecstatic.

Draco tried again to change, and was successful one more time, but only held the form for a few seconds again. But all that transforming had made Draco quite tired. As he bid Peter Pettigrew adieu, he thought to himself that he couldn't even wave his wand, he was so exhausted.

* * * *

Aloysius had indeed grown tired of his vigil over Severus. In due time, the boy would wake up, and he'd get started with what he needed to do. If Severus was nothing else, he was strong. Stronger than, apparently, even he had thought. But not strong enough to wake up just yet. "Tell me if there's a change with him," he ordered Madame Pomfrey as he swept out of the Hospital wing with his Snape nose held high in the air.

Madame Pomfrey frowned, well, actually scowled. Then she sighed and looked at Severus. She patted his shoulder and said, "You can't help where you came from, poor dear." Then, she turned and went off to another part of the wing. She didn't notice Severus' tiny bits of movement...

_Where am I? It's so dark here. I feel like I'm floating in a storm of blackness. I take a breath and realize that I can still breathe. But that's about it. I can do nothing about the floating._

I don't understand it. All I did was try and fix Professor Colton's heart. He was clutching his chest. I knew that if I didn't try to save him, that people would say that I killed him. Which wasn't true. I hate the man, yes, but I don't want to go to Azkaban for killing him. I'm in enough trouble already without being accused of murdering the unpopular Potions master.

I can see it now. Potter and his little asshole friends making jokes as they lead me away. Why can't I move? Wait, what's this? My body is moving, now. I feel more grounded as a white light surrounds me. Someone had been shaking me. I can even hear him, very faintly, if I strain myself. It was Draco. He shouldn't have been there; he should've gotten the hell out of there before they accused him_ of something. Well, I'm getting out of here, somehow, even if he doesn't. That boy has to learn how to take better care of his ass; he's a Slytherin, dammit. Goddess knows how many points would get taken from Slytherin for killing a teacher..._

I have to get out of this mess. Things cannot be left as they are; the whole damned place will fall apart without me. Lestrange will make dog meat out of Draco. Please, Father Sun and Mother Moon, make sure Draco remembers that repelling spell I showed him! He's hopelessly bad at Defense. He's brilliant at everything else except survival! Like a Ravenclaw. Just because he's from a pure blooded family, and just because he's a little bastard sometimes, it doesn't make him a Slytherin! Sometimes he even acts like a Gryffindor, which makes me want to kick his ass in.

But I can't do that. I love him. He's like a little brother to me, that I don't have. Maybe I was his father in another life. All I know is, I hate it when I hear Lestrange talk about Draco like he was my bitch. Lestrange doesn't understand anything pure. That's why I despise him, now. How could I shag my own son? Or my brother? That's something Lestrange would do. The very idea makes my stomach sour, even here, where I suppose I'm not supposed to feel anything. But I do feel. In fact, I feel more than ever, here.

Lily._ She is like an infection in my blood that I cannot purge. I fought it for so long that she despises me now. How I grieve for that! I want to howl, but my mouth won't even open. I want to swim to her, but she is a mermaid, now. A mermaid with a long braid of red and eyes greener than the sea I swim in, but still a mermaid. A woman with no legs. What A joke. I can never slide through her dark passage... Can I be content with being a merman, to be with her? Do I love her enough? Or will she ever come to me, to the sandy shores between her world and mine? Can I ever get her to love me enough to do that?_

I float towards her, and arms reach out for me. Not hers; she's dashing away in fright, but these other arms surely belong to other girls I've had. Drucilla, gloriously nude and even more gloriously two-legged, approaches me. She is followed by Andromeda, whose pale skin glows in the dark waters. She also has two legs, thankfully. And then Rachel Lestrange swirls around me, smirking. I know why; I can feel what my body is doing. Other girls surround me, and I swim beside each one, and they all whisper the same thing in my ear. You can't change who you are, Severus. We don't want you to change who you are. Only Lily does. She doesn't belong with you, we do.__

For a while, I linger, and enjoy each one exactly as I had in the past. But then, in the midst of ecstasy, I catch sight of my beloved Lily again. I manage to flee the others. I feel my legs fuse together painfully, until my feet become a long, transparent fin. I wasn't myself any longer, but now, I could catch up to Lily.

I press on, leaving all the others behind. Lily comes into sight. She sees how I have changed, and she is suddenly unafraid. She shyly comes closer, slowly, slowly...

Abruptly, I feel a pull around my neck. I reach up and feel a collar around my neck, and someone is yanking me away from Lily! "There'll be time enough for wenching once you've done your work at Azkaban, laddie," I hear someone say. I whirl around and see a one-eyed old man.

"Azkaban?" I say in amazement.

"Once you get out of here, you'll understand what I mean. But no wenches now. You must concentrate on getting out of here, not lolling about with females." He disappears, though the collar still remains on me.

Now I am alone. The floating in water becomes floating in air. Black air. I can see my mother, swinging in the breeze by a rope around her neck. My body careens toward her, and I pass through, between her feet. And Uncle Aloysius is there, waiting in the other side for me.

"I didn't think you could live up to the Snape name, but it appears I might have been wrong about you," he tells me. Now I know I'm dreaming. He never compliments me.

"What is going on?" I hear Draco ask. He's looking keenly at me. His nose is shaped like some sort of animal. He's worried that I'm dead, I realize. Am I dead? Why can't I leave this blackness behind? Why does it just keep getting darker? I reach my arms out to him, but this only seems to repel me, rather than attract me to him. I fly even more quickly away from him. I can see Lestrange looming over his shoulder, but he doesn't see him. I struggle to scream, "Draco, look behind you!" But only Dumbledore seems to hear me, and he doesn't say anything. He just shakes his head sadly, as if he was disgusted with me for some reason.

I begin to fight the strong breeze that pulls me. I slow down, and soon stop altogether. And as the breeze ends, so does my balance in the air. I begin to fall. In panic, I try to claw the air to hold me but it doesn't. I smash into the earth.

I open my eyes...

* * * *

Draco dragged himself closer to the Slytherin common room. He could hardly wait to plop into his bed and sleep for the rest of the day. Or night, he wasn't even sure what time it actually was... He yawned and looked up from the floor. Lestrange was standing there, with his sister. "Yes?" Draco drawled. He was in no mood for their shit, he thought irritably.

They didn't answer him. Instead, they linked their powers together (something that Draco had not been taught how to do) and said in unison _"Stupify!"_ Draco couldn't even have reached his wand in time, even if he'd had the strength to counter the spell, which he couldn't have done becasue they were linked and he was not. He collapsed on the floor, and blackness overcame him.

The twins smiled at eachother and then the brother called softly, "We have him."

"Good," an equally soft, but far more sinister voice answered. "Let's be gone from here. I would sincerely love to know what this young man has been hiding. If the rumors are true, he will be a veritable gold mine of information..."

When Draco woke up, he noticed three things immediately. The first was that he was somehow suspended in the sir, hanging upside down. The second thing he noticed was that he was stark naked. And the third thing, or things, he noticed was a pair of eyes staring at him. They were red and glowing, and they really looked more like serpent's eyes than human's. Even from his odd angle, Draco could not be in any doubt that those eyes belonged to Lord Voldemort.


	20. A Long Night

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 20: A Long Night

Note: This chapter is going to be rougher than the others so far, insofar as violence is concerned. But you already figured that, didn't you?

Draco stared into those eyes. It was a strange thing; his father had so very much wanted Draco to meet the Dark Lord. He lived for the day that Voldemort would be restored to his former power. And now, he was hanging upside down in front of him. This was far from the sort of meeting that Lucius Malfoy had envisioned for his son and the Dark Lord.

"Voldemort?" Draco asked. The wizard-creature raised his brows slightly, as though surprised to hear his name being spoken. "What do you want with me? I hope you haven't been listening to this little twerp over here. He's just jealous that I'm now better friends with Severus Snape than he ever was. Trust me, you don't want to piss me off..."

Voldemort smirked in amusement. "Or you'll do what?" he asked.

"Well, if I were you, I wouldn't do anything to piss me off, or you'll find out..." Draco answered vaguely. He had some small clue, he had one hope. If he could somehow reach for his powers (as he was blocked from them by a spell the twins must have placed on him), he could possibly try...

"Are you trying to tell me that I will be losing a potential ally if I were to allow Mr. Lestrange to conduct his _experiment_ on you? He had told me who you are, or, at least who you claim to be. Lucius Malfoy's son... You know that he is already one of my closest allies. But, as of yet, he has no child. Certainly not one who is only a few years younger than he himself is."

"Has he heard about me?" Draco asked.

Voldemort appeared innocent, if that was possible. "How could he have, if I have only heard of you myself this very evening? You see, Mr. Lestrange here is _most_ eager to join me in my quest for forwarding the causes of wizards and witches. He told me that he had knowledge of someone who was in the Order of the Phoenix. They are my adversaries, you know. They seem to think that mixing with Muggles is a far better idea than to keep ourselves above and beyond them, as I have always believed is best. To me, Muggles are no better than apes. However, Albus Dumbledore and his allies within the Ministry of Magic seem to think that we would be better off behaving like apes than to offend them. I say we put the apes in the zoo where they belong."

"Sir, I have very little experience with Muggles, to be honest," Draco confessed. "I must say that my father, Lucius, kept me quite sheltered as a child. I wouldn't know whether or not Muggles were one way or another. My father used to say the same things you say, or pretty much," Draco rambled. "But don't you think it's pretty presumptuous to say that I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix? Where's your proof?"

"Only the word of Lestrange here. He says you have knowledge of some of their members. Who they are. I want to know who they are, Mr. Malfoy. You need to tell me who they are," Voldemort answered.

_"He_ says? Your'e taking _his_ word for it? Don't you think you ought to check out his motives before you go trusting him?" Draco argued.

"My Lord..." Lestrange interrupted, "If I may begin, I will get the answers you desire from him." He handed his wand to Rachel. "Hold onto him for me," he told her. Voldemort cleared the path for the young initiate. Draco snarled as Lestrange faced him.

"You little piece of shit. Just wait until I get myself untied from this. You're going to be sorry you were ever born," Draco raged.

"See this?" Lestrange asked Draco. He held up a small composition style notebook. Draco frowned, but said nothing. "It's a sort of journal. When I found out about it, I begged the writer of it to let me keep it once he left Hogwart's. Since he already knew everything in the book, he agreed, making me promise that once I became proficient in it, that I would go and join the Dark Lord and his noble cause. I worked diligently for three years, perfecting the techniques described in this book. Tonight, I'm going to demonstrate my efficiency to the Dark Lord."

He held up Draco's wand. "This process is not supposed to be used with the victim's own wand. While it's true that I would get better results from my own, as you can see, Rachel is holding it, so I'll use yours. Did you know that the Cruciatus Curse can be concentrated on only one part of a person's body?"

"I beg your pardon for interrupting, but what good would that do?" Voldemort asked. "It would seem to me that it would be far more efficient to perform the curse on the entire body, and therefore obtain a result far more quickly."

"Ah, but where's the fun in that?" Rachel giggled. Draco turned his head to look at her. She was the one holding him hostage, he noted. Not Lestrange, and not Voldemort.

"Fun? We're not here for fun. We're here to get answers out of him," Voldemort spat.

"You're a freak, Lestrange, you and your whore sister!" Draco screamed.

Lestrange poked Draco on the chest with his wand. _"Crucio!"_ he growled. Draco's chest burned as a thousand volts of electricity seemed to jolt him. After a few seconds, Lestrange removed his wand, and the pain ceased immediately. "Let's start telling my new master what he wants to know, shall we?" Lestrange urged.

Draco panicked. He didn't know very much about the Order, except anything that would betray James Potter, who actaully had been pretty decent to him lately. "What can I tell you? I don't know anything about them!" Draco yelled as Lestrange put the wand to his skin again. Pain charged through his shoulder now. It was pain unlike anything he'd ever experienced. When it stopped again Draco roared "You're pathetic, Lestrange! You've been frying little animals to practice for these past years. And now you even have me all tied up so you can do what you want without being challenged. You're a coward!"

Coward or not, Lestrange continued. He calmly placed his wand inside Draco's ear. The pain was even worse than having to listen to Snape yell in his ear for hours about acting like a Gryffindor! "A name, if you please," Lestrange prompted Draco after removing the wand from Draco's ear. "Or perhaps you'd like the other ear done?"

This went on for a while. Draco had no concept of time. Voldemort was vascillating between horror and boredom. Rachel seemed to be excited in a rather sexual way. Especially when Lestrange's probing wand started touching other areas of Draco's body besides his ears and chest...

"Tell me a name!" Voldemort demanded as Lestrange removed his wand for what must have been the twentieth time.

Draco swallowed as he saw Lestrange's wand moving below his waist yet again. "Professor Foxworth..." he answered at last.

"Foxworth is with the Ministry, you know," Voldemort smiled calmly. "He's a specially trained wizard, who was sent to be on the Hogwart's staff, as soon as they saw my ascent to power. In other words, Mr. Malfoy, I knew about him all along. Now, then, another name, if you would be so kind?"

"Stop that!" Draco ordered Lestrange. "I know another one," he said, "Potter! And his friends!" Draco figured that he'd warn them once he got away from these bastards.

"Potter? Why am I not surprised? James Potter will be the last in my mother's branch of my family to finally die when I get the chance. And now, I shall take even more pleasure in destroying him. Who are his friends?"

"What do I have to do everything for you?" Draco snapped.

"Well, that was rather the point of this whole session, Malfoy. I came to you because I want their names. Let's not make this whole night a waste, Malfoy..." Voldemort urged. Draco felt his body being moved by the magical bind that Rachel had on him. It was being moved lower, and flattened to a supine position.

"Stick the wand up his ass," Rachel urged her brother. "Then he'll start talking!"

"Why you little bitch!" Draco snarled.

Lestrange did what his sister suggested. _"Crucio!_

Draco didn't know how he had managed to survive this far, and now, he was experiencing a pain so very deep and horrifying that he surely thought he would die from it. Or at least, he wished he would die after this. The very idea of actually _living_ after this was unthinkably cruel.

And just as abruptly as it began, it stopped. Rachel looked quite flushed from it. Draco felt anger as fierce as an inferno rage through him. "You're getting off on this to be sure! Tell me, Rachel, who was the better lay? Severus or your brother?" he spat.

Rachel's expression changed to outrage. She charged forward as though to try the Cruciatus Curse on him herself. But in that instant, Draco sensed her blocking spell on him drop.

"Rachel, no!" Lestrange bellowed, but it was too late. Draco was able to feel his powers return to him. He dropped to the ground, and sat there as he used the power he'd already pulled into himself to sieze Rachel and squeeze. She screamed as she grabbed her head with her hands, clawing at her hair to try and somehow keep Draco's magic out of her mind. But he quickly found the spot in her brain that controlled her ablility to use magic, and he crushed it. He could even see the red gash appear over her head, in her aura.

The look of horror on Voldemort's face as he saw Rachel bleeding from her eyes and howling in agony was _almost_ worth the price that Draco had paid. "He's a Breaker!" Voldemort shrieked. "Lestrange! Get out!" And the Dark Lord raced out of the dungeon. Draco was about ready to sieze Lestrange, but Lestrange was quick enough to scoop up his sister and dash out himself. Draco watched them go, and he knew he'd never see any of them ever again.

He stumbled around the room. How did he know how to do that? What was he going to do now? Should he tell Dumbledore what he'd done? Would he like to live the rest of his life with a collar around his neck, like Sev was going to? And then, Draco came across the journal that Lestrange had been waving in his face. He picked it up and paged through it. The handwriting seemed a bit familiar. And when he saw the inscription on the inside cover: _This Book is Property Of: Lucius Malfoy,_ Draco finally fainted.


	21. Collision

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 21: Collision

Lily Evans toyed with her long red braid as she walked along on of the many Hogwarts corridors. She was headed to Hufflepuff House, to stay with her friend Drucilla Webster. Andromeda Black, her other best friend, who was from Ravenclaw House, was most likely already there. They had this unusual arrangement ever since Lily's first day at Hogwarts, when she made fast friends with Drucilla on the Hogwart's Express, only to find themselves placed in different houses. Professor Dumbledore was kind enough to allow this arrangement; at first, the people of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff houses were not amused. But they soon came to accept this arrangement, and now, Lily was more or less treated as an honorary Hufflepuff, even if she was a Gryffindor. And Drucilla was welcomed as a guest in Gryffindor house. Andromeda joined in their circle in Second year. So every third night, Lily would sleep in the Ravenclaw's nest. Andi's Ravenclaw housemates simply ignored them.

Tonight, however, Lily was to spend the night in Hufflepuff House, which was downstairs from Gryffindor Tower, so she tried to make her way quickly thought this dark passage. Up ahead, she saw that one or two of the torches went cold. She squirmed inside. Some Gryffindor she was! Scared of the dark! Still, she wished she had someone with her. There was something not right in the air.

Abruptly, a few sets of running feet echoed loudly down the passage. Lily gasped as a tall thin presumably male figure who had not been watching where he was going barrelled straight into her. Both he and Lily sprawled onto the stone ground. The man deftly rolled off her and spat, "You stupid bitch, don't you watch where you're going? Get out of my way, girl!"

Lily shrank away from the creature; even in the wan light she could see the man's serpentine features and glowing red eyes. Those eyes were the dead giveaway.

She grit her teeth and hastily rose to her feet. She began to run in the opposite direction, but pain knifed though her ankle, and she couldn't manage more than a stumble forward, right into another student's grasp. Lily screamed. It was a girl she knew from her potions class. Both she and her brother were in Slytherin. But what made Lily scream was the fact that blood was streaming out of the girl's eyes, like ghastly tears.

"Well, if it isn't that little Mudblood cow _Lily?_" the girl raged. She slammed Lily into the wall with fury.

"Dammit Rachel! We don't have time! He'll catch us!" a third person shouted in the girl's ear.

"What do I care?" she shrieked. "Look at me! I can't use magic any longer! I, Rachel Lestrange, whe _used to be_ a twelfth-generation witch, _can't use magic!_ But this useless, fat Muggle-born slut _can?_ Where is the justice in this?" she demanded.

Lily managed to reach up and push Rachel back off her. "Don't you call me that!" she spat. "If anyone around here is the slut, it's you! Just get away from me. Whatever happened to you, I'm sure you deserved it, you evil creature! I can't possibly think of anyone more useless now than _you!"_ And with that, Lily pushed past the broken girl, only to face her brother.

"Just watch it, Evans, that I don't snap your neck in half!" he hissed. "You don't talk to your betters like that!"

"I don't give a damn about your family honor!" Voldemort snapped, making them all jump a bit. "I'm getting the hell out of here before the boy catches up to us!" and with that, he took off again, never paying Lily another moment's thought. Lestrange dragged his sister away with him, and Lily was left alone int he dark passage again.

Shuddering from fear, Lily began crying as she continued down the hallway. She could have been killed just then! Voldemort had just bumped into her! Rachel Lestrange couldn't use her magic anymore? Why? Who were they running like the dickens to get away from? Would he come running down the hallway too? Then, she stopped in her tracks. How could she be so stupid? She had to go and tell Professor Dumbledore about this! Voldemort was in Hogwart's!

Her ankle was on fire by the time she arrived at the Headmaster's office. "Licorice," she cried, and the stone gargoyle moved aside. Thankful that she could take her weight off her ankle, Lily leaned on the magical railing, and the staircase took her right to the main circular office.

Though it was fairly late in the evening, Dumbledore was still in the green robes he'd worn at dinner that evening. "Lily, my dear, what is wrong?"

"Voldemort...in the castle!" she gasped.

"My good Lord, where? When?"

"Just now... I was on my way to Hufflepuff House when he came dashing through the passageway. He was with Rachel and Rodolphus Lestrange. They were running away from someone..."

Professor Dumbledore wasted no time. He tossed Floo Powder into his hearth and called out, "Maximillian! We have an emergency situation here!" Lily watched as Professor Foxworth's face appeared in the flames.

"Albus? What's going on? Not the werewolf again, I hope!" he answered.

"No, I'm afraid it's much worse. Voldemort has been spotted in the castle. We must secure all the students and, if possible, capture him. He appears to have been fleeing with two students, from your house. The Lestrange twins."

Foxworth frowned deeply upon hearing their names. Lily swallowed a lump in her throat; Foxworth was head of Slytherin House. The same house that horrible Severus Snape was in. She shuddered yet again. "I'm on it, Albus. I'm getting Professors McGonagall, Sprout and Flitwick now. By the by, where's Malfoy? Is he with you?"

Dumbledore shook his head. Lily squirmed, because even though he was a Slytherin, he was also Drucilla's boyfriend. If something happened to him, Dru would be heartbroken. And she had been hearing the rumors about Draco and Severus Snape, and they were mostly from Lestrange's lips. Lestrange hated Draco Malfoy. How likely was it that he might have come to harm on the very night that she should run into Voldemort himself fleeing with Lestrange and his sister? She heard Foxworth growl with frustration, and then his head popped out of existence.

"Professor Dumbledore? I don't know Draco Malfoy very well, but my friend Drucilla likes him a lot and... I've been thinking that, well, I hope he's not hurt or anything..."

Just as these words left Lily's lips, the fireplace erupted into life again. This time, it was Madame Pomfrey in the flames. "Professor! Severus Snape began calling out in his sleep!"

"He's out of his coma?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not precisely. What I mean is, he started calling out Draco Malfoy's name, but then he slipped back under. What could it mean, given what we know about him..." she asked nervously.

"It very likely means that Draco Malfoy is in terrible danger, Poppy. I'm going to search this castle from top to bottom if I must, but I will find him. Lily, I advise you to go to Madame Pomfrey and get your ankle taken care of. I noticed your limp when you walked in here."

"Oh, yes, my dear. Use Floo Powder and come right here to me," Madame Pomfrey urged.

"Uh, no not Floo Powder. I don't want my ankle more injured than it already is..." Lily shuddered as she started to retreat. She would have loved to get her ankle healed, the pain was excruciating. Bt what kind of friend would she be if she left her best friend's boyfriend suffering? "I'll go the long way," she answered.

"Miss Evans," Dumbledore said sternly, "none of the students as of now are permitted to be in the corridors for any reason. I insist that you go straightaway to Madame Pomfrey," he told her.

"I will, Professor Dumbledore, I promise," she replied as she walked backwards into the office doors and pushed through them before Dumbledore had a chance to stop her.

He turned to the fire and sighed. "She completely ignored me Poppy..." he complained. "But, she is the one who ran straight into Voldemort and lived to tell the tale. Let's just hope that she slowed him down as much as he slowed her down..."

Lily walked, since she couldn't run if her life depended on it. She returned to the lower areas of the castle. Peeping into each empty classroom she passed, she saw no sign of life. Unitl she spotted a black dog, that is, up ahead, who began barking furiously at her. When she tried to advance, he bared his teeth. She gasped. Apparently, this dog didn't want to let her through! "Stop that! Bad dog!" she yelled. She stomped her foot and immediately regretted it. When the dog began to head toward her, she decided that she'd had enough of this meddlesome canine. _"Impedimenta!"_ she cried, sending blue light from her wand at the dog. He was stopped cold in his tracks, but never did stop barking as Lily limped her way past the animal. "Oh, do stop carrying on. You'll be moving again soon," she assured him in disgust, and then moved on.

She spotted a door that had some light streaming out into the dark hallway. In the beam of light, she saw a fat gray rat scurrying away. "Eek!" she squeaked, dismayed that Hogwart's would have rats running around in the hallways with so many cats in the building. She cautiously approached it, and listened. She thought she heard a groan, so she pushed the door open.

On the stone floor was a tallish blond boy. He had no clothes on and was face down. "Oh, no," Lily gasped. It was Draco. She stumbled to his side. "Draco! Draco, wake up!" When he didn't respond, she waved her wand and said, _"Ennervate!"_ The spell jolted Draco back to life.

"Huh? Drucilla?" he mumbled, then focused a bit more through his gray eyes. "Oh, Lily! Oh, my God!"

"Here," she said, taking her robe off her shoulders and putting it on Draco as he sat up. "We'll both go now to Madame Pomfrey. I guess Voldemort got to you. Thank God you're alive," Lily breathed.

"Speak for yourself," Draco muttered as she searched her pockets for Floo Powder. "Lily, please don't tell anyone else about this. How you found me," he asked a few seconds later.

"I...I won't say anything," she said, just as two new faces popped their heads into the door. One was Peter Pettigrew, and the other was Sirius Black.

"Well, so much for that," Draco sighed as he stood up. Peter and Sirius certainly looked worried.

"Lily? You need to get back to Gryffindor House! There's been an announcement made about..." Peter started.

"Voldemort? Yes I know he's around. I ran into him," Lily grimaced. "Have either of you any Floo Powder? We need to get to the Hospital Wing. My er, trip with the Dark Lord has produced a rather nasty ankle injury..." Lily asked dryly. All three boys gaped at her.

Sirius came forward and tossed some of his Floo Powder into the flaming hearth. He clearly looked torn between staying with Lily and Malfoy, and leaving with Peter. "Listen, we have to go. I'm sorry," he said.

"Go ahead back to Gryffindor Tower, Sirius. Oh, and make sure that poor dog that I immobilized isn't left out there all night, will you?" she asked as she and Draco entered the flames.

"Oh, don't worry, I already took care of that," Peter smirked as Lily called out "Hospital wing!" She and Draco disappeared in emerald smoke.


	22. The Aftermath

A Dark Corridor 

Chapter 22: The Aftermath

Draco sat in the hospital wing. Occasionally he would look in Severus' direction. He heard from Lily that she heard that he was calling out his name. That was what gave Dumbledore a clue that he was in danger. Good old Severus. Draco was certainly glad that he wasn't awake yet. He dreaded having to try and explain what happened tonight to anyone, let alone Severus. He'd rather die than have Severus know about it. He knew how ultra-responsible Severus felt toward Draco. He toyed with the vial in his hand. He knew it would put him out of his misery for a while, but he wasn't certain that he wanted to take it just then.

Lily was fretting that she couldn't get Dumbledore to allow Drucilla and Andi there to see her and Draco. To Draco, it was just as well. He didn't think he could face her either right now.

"Dear, you really ought to take that potion. Professor Dumbledore and Mr. Moody are going to be a while, and..." Madame Pomfrey began. Draco eyed her. She didn't know all the details, did she? She couldn't possibly. Not even Dumbledore could know the extent of Draco's ordeal. Maybe, if he was careful, they'd never have to know. And maybe, if he was careful, he'd be able to forget. He tucked the old journal of his father's under the mattress of the hospital bed. He didn't want Dumbledore looking at it, certainly. When tears suddenly began to fill his eyes, he opened the vial and gulped it down. He _would not cry!_

Albus Dumbledore had seen many things in his life; some quite wondrous and others quite horrifying. The dark Wizard Grindelwald had performed spells that would have given someone like Dumbledore nightmares had he not been so immuned to seeing horror. This Voldemort appeared to be following in Grindelwald's footsteps. He knew Voldemort's true identity of course, and that was what alarmed him the most. For Tom Riddle, even when he was merely a student at Hogwarts, was far more powerful than Grindelwald could ever have hoped to be. And, what was worse, Voldemort used his considerable power for considerable evil. Albus had troubled nights, sometimes, when thinking of what had become of Tom.

Indeed, Voldemort was a very real threat to the wizarding, was well as the Muggle world. But nothing, _nothing,_ could have prepared him for what had been left hanging from one of the rafters near the third floor landing. He looked at what was laying before him on a bed in the hospital wing. There were a few Ministry wizards and one witch who wore rubber gloves to handle a dead girl's body. Her Hogwart's robe was still on, and Slytherin's crest, with its emerald and silver embroidery, seemed to leap out at him. Her long, bushy brown hair was undone, and her face was black from what had caused her death. One would almost find Rachel Lestrange unrecognizable...

The witch murmured as she prodded the dead girl. "Her neck never broke. It wasn't a clean death, I fear. She must have been hanging there for a few moments." Albus looked away, as he recalled the few hangings he had attended in his youth. It was always better if the person's neck broke. Otherwise, they could spend quite some time kicking and screaming before they suffocated. "Although, her death by strangulation wouldn't account for this..." She pointed to Rachel's eyes, and the dark crusted blood that had been streaming from them.

Albus forced himself to look again. "What could have caused that?" another ministry wizard queried.

"I've never seen anything like it..." she answered. "I wonder if we should not have a more thorough autopsy done in a Muggle facility..."

"Too much paperwork," the other wizard groaned. "I hate dealing with the Muggle pleese-men. They ask far too many questions about things that are none of their concern."

"She might have sustained an injury that caused this bleeding... Perhaps Voldemort did something to her that really killed her, and then tossed her over the third-floor railing..." The first ministry wizard suggested.

"Why would he bother to hide the fact that he killed her? We already knew he was in the building, with her and her brother," Albus pointed out.

"Who was the last person to see her alive?" the witch asked.

Albus was about to say "Draco Malfoy." But then, he recalled that this was actually inaccurate. It was Lily Evans who had seen them fleeing. What were they running from? He looked at Lily, who had also been given a sleeping draught. Not because she was in as much turmoil as Draco obviously was in, but because he wanted her under his watchful eye. He'd loved her like a favorite grand-daughter every since he saw her sobbing in Hufflepuff's corridor that very first night in Hogwarts, heartbroken that her new best friend, Drucilla, was not in Gryffindor house like she was. If anything had happened to her because of Voldemort tonight... Like what had happened to Rachel. He could see that he wasn't getting a wink of sleep tonight.

Unfortunately, Aloysius Snape had also decided to remain at Hogwarts until his nephew came out of his coma. "What could the Dark Lord have done to the wench?" he asked dismissively. "I think she got injured while doing whatever she was doing tonight with her brother. Sevi had just told me about some of the shit they were doing with small animals..."

Albus spun around and nearly asked him to mind his own business, but instead asked him, "When did Severus tell you this?"

"Oh, not long ago at all. I think it might have been a week or two before he Healed the Squib..."

_Hmmm..since when did Severus tell his uncle anything?_ Albus thought carefully before asking, "Did he tell you whether he saw them doing this or not?"

"No he didn't see it himself. He told me that that little blond troublemaker sleeping off his latest accident over there told him." Aloysius pointed at Draco's sleeping form. "I didn't believe it at first. The Lestranges are a fine, old family. Surely they wouldn't have such freakishness among their offspring...or so I thought. Makes you wonder about the Malfoys..." he added smugly. For some reason Albus still couldn't understand, Aloysius was thrilled that his nephew is a Breaker. He seemed to think it added a great deal of prestige to the Snape family honor or something like that. The Malfoys were an ancient family, dating all the way back to Roman times. Aloysius seemed to have the idea that his nephew's abilities now pushed the Snape family to the forefront, despite the fact that the family was more or less dead. Severus was the final generation. Albus shook himself mentally. He hated going over all the family bloodlines; it depressed him.

As awful as this was going to be, Albus knew he was going to have to interrogate Draco extensively when he woke up from his nap. Deep in his gut, Albus knew that the boy had been through a terrible ordeal tonight. Rachel Lestrange's death might have been murder or suicide, but only Draco's answers might shed some light as to what would have motivated either. And, as much as it made his heart ache, he would have to question Lily as well.

Draco woke up and looked around. It was pretty dark in the Hospital wing. He was getting entirely too used to sleeping in here. For a second, he forgot why he was there. But then, the pain returned, and he remembered all too well. He had to use the toilet too, badly. Weighing the benefits of staying and bed against to needs of his bladder resulted in a resounding victory for bladder. Gritting his teeth, he tiptoed to the nearest toilet. When he was finished, and able to think a bit more clearly, he heard all the old men arguing. The old men being Dumbledore, Moody, Aloysius Snape (what the hell was he doing here still?), the Minister of Magic, and Professor Foxworth. Well okay, Foxworth wasn't exactly old, but still...

Draco listened in to what they were discussing. Dumbledore was looking gray in the face. Aloysius had a flush of angry red in his, and Foxworth looked like he was ready to explode. Ony Moody remained unreadable. And the Minister was the one speaking, with his back to Draco. "Gentlemen, this is all conjecture. Whether or not anyone would have been able to detain the Dark Lord is a moot point. As we all well know, he has a bit of a knack with Dementors. He'd be able to escape Azkaban even if we did put him there. And as you may have noticed, he has become very hard to kill."

"Well, what the hell do you expect to do? Reason with him?" Foxworth scoffed.

"No! We train Severus as soon as possible, and then have him Break the Dark Lord!" Aloysius proclaimed.

Dumbledore became even more gray. "I can understand that you want him trained as soon as possible, Aloysius, yet I cannot help but fear that not only will Severus suffer for it by being trained to do this when he is still as yet too immature to handle such a daunting responsibility, but it very well could also make him a target..."

"Do you really think the Dark Lord will come and try something before we get a chance to train Severus?" Aloysius asked.

"I would, if I were him," Moody said. "We must keep his talent an absolute secret if he is to survive long enough to Break him..." Draco's heart began to race. Severus was in danger, and he wasn't the only one! Voldemort knows that Draco has that power too! No one else could ever find out, because if they were to go and put a collar on Draco, he'd be defenseless. Never in his entire life had he felt such hopelessness in his soul. Could things possibly get any worse?

"Mr. Malfoy..." Dumbledore said, spotting Draco off to the side at last. "I do hope that our raised voices hadn't awakened you. But since you are awake, there is much we need to discuss."

"I.." Draco began, eyeing the present company, and then he sighed.

"We found Rachel Lestrange," Moody began. Draco's heart skipped a beat. Moody watched Draco's expression as he added, "swinging from a staircase railing. She hanged herself, we think."

"She's dead?" Draco asked shakily.

"Indeed, quite dead. Odd thing though. Her eyes have blood clotted around them. Don't know what it means..." Moody pointed his mad eye in Draco's direction.

"Blood around her eyes?" Draco repeated. Could this mean that they don't know what it looks like for someone who gets Broken? Maybe he was safe then. From them, at least.

"I was thinking that she got injured from some of their extracurricular activities," Aloysius cut in. "They were doind some kind of wild spells, weren't they, Malfoy? You were there. What was she doing?"

Draco grew angry. "What's it to you, anyway?"

"Enquiring minds want to know," Aloysius shrugged. "It's not everyday that you find a girl that's hanged herself. Makes this school look bad, it does. I've been wanting to take Severus out of here for the longest time. I think that hanging around with all of these Muggle-borns and half-bloods has a bad effect on the pure of blood still in this school. The Lestranges were always of good repute."

"I used to think like that too, but now I know better. Tonight showed me just what pure-bloods are made of," Draco spat. Including his father. He never knew that his father had written a book like that...

"Tut, tut, you're one of them," Aloysius pointed out unkindly, "And so is your friend, my nephew."

"I heard what you said about Severus being in danger. It's just a good thing that he's so much better at Defense Against the Dark Arts than the average student here..." Draco grumbled.

"Do you really think that he would be able to actually fend off the Dark Lord?" Foxworth asked doubtfully.

"Not with that collar on him..." Draco groused.

"Oh, so you agree with me, then? He needs to be trained immediately," Aloysius cut in.

Moody gave the elder Snape a nasty look with his good and magical eyes. "This training takes years, Aloysius! Even if we started with him as soon as he woke up, we couldn't get him to Break an ant in a year's time, let alone the Dark Lord!" Aloysius sneered, but didn't answer.

Draco frowned. "It takes years? What is he supposed to be doing?" His heart was pounding, but he let his face appear impassive, as his father had taught him to do when he was young.

"Indeed, Alastor, I was wondering the same thing. I know that _your_ training took many years. But in the end, it never happened for you," Dumbledore pointed out.

"I don't know the answer to that," Moody admitted. "My training was based on the journals and writings left behind by others who had trained Breakers, back from the times when there were many more of them than now..."

Dumbledore glanced at Aloysius. He had suggested earlier that perhaps Nicholas Flamel might know something of Breakers, seeing as how the man had lived for over six hundred years, thanks to the Elixir of Life that he makes with the Sorcerer's Stone. At the time, Dumbledore didn't think that he wanted to bother Nicholas about it, but now, maybe that was his only answer. He'd try to question him even before he questioned Lily.

"Gentlemen, I suggest that we allow the ministry wizards to take Rachel's remains with them back to London for further examination. If the Dark Lord is injuring his allies to such an extent that they commit suicide afterwards, than we have a great deal to worry over if we stand against him. Draco, I must speak to you," he stated before Draco had a chance to slink off.

"What?" Draco asked fearfully.

"Perhaps you need to talk about something?" Dumbledore suggested, giving Draco a very pointed look.

Draco said shrilly, "I don't want to talk about anything!"

"I didn't ask if you _wanted_ to talk about something. I asked you if you _needed_ to talk about something," Dumbledore repeated. Professor Foxworth, the Minister of Magic, and Aloysius had turned to leave, but they remained there, standing, waiting for Draco's answer. Moody had never left his chair, and his eyes were right on Draco.

"What did Voldemort do to you?" Moody asked.

"He didn't do anything to me!" Draco declared. From his point of view, that was true. Voldemort hadn't laid a wand or finger on Draco. But he didn't stop the Lestrange twins from... Draco felt like his stomach was going to flip upside down and empty itself out at Dumbledore's feet.

Dumbledore saw the expression on Draco's face. No matter how aloof his father had tried to train his son to be, he still couldn't get all feeling out of the boy. "What did he want with you?"

"Names! He wanted names! And I gave him yours!" Draco spat. Foxworth spun around and gaped at Draco. "And I gave him yours too! But don't worry; he already knows all about you!" Draco told Foxworth with disgust.

"Well, as long as you didn't give him _my_ name..." Aloysius sniffed.

Draco hissed and leaped forward, getting in his face. _"You bastard! If I had even thought of it, I would have given your name first! As it was, I had too much to think about with Lestrange sticking my own wand up my ass and performing the Cruciatus Curse to give you a second thought!"_ And just after the words slipped out of his mouth, Draco covered his mouth to try and take them back, but he couldn't. The air became so silent that Draco's ears rang from it. The old men, especially Dumbledore, became even more gray-faced than before. Foxworth, on the other hand, looked slightly green. The Minister of Magic was horrified that such a thing could even be done, obviously. And even Aloysius looked contrite at his stupid remark.

The silence was broken at last. "What did you say he did?" were the words. Everyone snapped out of their trance of baffled horror and glanced in the direction the words came from. There stood Severus, with tears in his eyes, looking straight at Draco.


	23. Upon Awakening

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 23: Upon Awakening...

_Severus opened his eyes..._

He blinked. The dream he'd been having was disconcerting. Where was Draco? Severus shook his head, and then tried to move his arms and legs. They all worked as well as could be expected, so he sat up with effort. The dark of the Hospital Wing made looking around more difficult, but he was determined to survey his surroundings. There was something going on; he would not have dreamed of Lestrange attacking Draco in his deep unconscious state if there was nothing going on. He frowned as he saw Lily Evans slumbering in one of the beds near his, and another bed that had been used, but the occupant had left.

Severus nearly groaned, but managed to suppress it, since he didn't want anyone to know he was awake just yet. He struggled to get out of bed, but he was so damned stiff! How long had he been unconscious? A few hours? He gingerly took his first steps on the cold stone floor. To his dismay, his slippers were nowhere to be found, and he was clothed in his red-striped pyjamas that were of thinner material than his green ones. He nearly stumbled as he felt how weak his legs had gotten.

Step by step, he made his way to Lily. What had happened to her? If she was hurt by Lestrange, then he'd pay for it with his life, Severus vowed as he grit his teeth and grasped Lily's bedpost to keep from collapsing. Once he regained his balance, he peered at Lily, who had no idea that she was being watched at all. She looked so innocent, and so beautiful. He couldn't beleive how beautiful she'd gotten since she first came to Hogwart's. She used to be this gawky Mud-blood freak with big green eyes and red hair, which Severus had always hated. Only Muggles thought that witches all had red hair. He _always knew_ that most "true witches" had black hair, back when he was young and stupid.

He recalled seeing Lily in his unconscious dream. She was a mermaid then. He gave a quick look at her legs under the covers, only to notice that one of them was in a cast. So that was why she was here, Severus noted. She'd broken her leg in some way. Yes, on her bed stand was a bottle of Skele-Gro that was nearly empty. But, Skele-Gro should have healed her leg without her having to stay in the Hospital Wing overnight. The only time that she would have had to stay overnight would have been if she had to totally regrow bones. But then she wouldn't have needed a cast, would she? This was very strange. He became even more concerned when he saw that there was another vial that was emptied next to the Skele-Gro bottle. He lifted the vial to his nose, and knew it was a sleeping potion.

Severus leaned closer. His heart began to pound in his chest; he was so very close to Lily now that he could just about touch her. "Oh, Lily," he whispered, "I hope that you are alright. I'll kill anyone that ever hurts you, I swear it. If only you knew that I'll never hurt you again." And just as he was about to dare to kiss her, he heard some raised voices from another part of the wing.

"Mr. Malfoy..." Severus heard Professor Dumbledore say. He squinted his eyes and saw Draco standing in the doorway of a well-lit room. Severus touched Lily's cheek, and whispered, "I'll be back, my love."

The next few things said, he couldn't make out. But he did manage to hear, "We found Rachel Lestrange swinging from a staircase railing. She hanged herself, we think." Severus stopped in his tracks, such as they were. Rachel's dead!

"Names! He wanted names! And I gave him yours!" Draco spat to some unseeen individual. "And I gave him yours too! But don't worry; he already knows all about you!" Draco told Foxworth with disgust. _Names?_ Severus thought with panic. _Did he mean the names of people involved with that damned Order of the Phoenix? How I wish I had never heard the name!_

"Well, as long as you didn't give him _my_ name..." he heard Aloysius sniff. _Leave it to Uncle Al to say something stupid and nasty._

Drace hissed _ "You bastard! If I had even thought of it, I would have given your name first! As it was, I had too much to think about with Lestrange sticking my own wand up my ass and performing the Cruciatus Curse to give you a second thought!"_

It took a couple of seconds for the horror to strike Severus, but when it did, he could barely stand up. Surely it couldn't be true. Even Lestrange, as much as he hated Draco, was not capable of doing such a thing! It was like a vicious kick in his stomach, this knowledge that such evil existed, and had resided in his dormitory, had eaten next to him for years! He staggered up to the door, and said _"What did you say he did?"_ Draco looked at Severus with alarm. In fact, that was virtually everyone else's response.

"Severus! When did you wake up? What are you doing out of bed? You look like you're ready to drop dead," Draco protested, as Severus actually sank to his knees in weakness and despair. "Let's get you back up into your bed now."

"No! NO! God damn it I'll kill him! I warned him that if he did anything to you that I'd make him pay! Let go of me!" Severus struggled, which only made Draco's grip on him become stronger, and only served to make himself even weaker. It was actually embarrassing how easily Draco dragged him back to his bed. Amazingly, Lily was still fast asleep despite all the noise and commotion.

Draco plopped Severus onto his bed. Severus was panting from his efforts to try and get up again. _Curse my weak body!_ his mind raged. _I can't go and wring anyone's neck in this condition!_ All he could do is look at this assembly of men arranged around his bed: a wild looking old man with an eye that rolled in all directions while his other stared straight at him, Professor Foxworth, Professor Dumbledore, the Minister of Magic, and his dratted Uncle Aloysius. Draco sat on the edge of his own bed, uncomfortably shifting his weight. No need to ask _why_ Draco couldn't sit straight...

"When did you wake up, Sevi?" Aloysius asked.

"Too late..." Severus mumbled. "It's all my fault."

"Now, Severus, you cannot go around blaming yourself for something that was totally beyond your control," Professor Dumbledore began. But Severus' mind began to race, as it did from time to time when too much information was thrown at him, especially the kind that was very emotional. He began to shake, and he held his hands over his ears. "I think we need to back off from these young people now," Dumbledore warned the other surrounding wizards.

Madame Pomfrey scurried over to the bedsides of both Severus and Draco. She almost seemed in a quandry as to who she needed to tend to first. Severus could hear Draco say, "Madame Pomfrey, Sev's in a bad way there." She peered into his face, and he tried to shut his eyes.

"This young man had just awakened from a coma, and you insensitive louts are gathered around him like vultures. Be gone with all of you!" she shooed them away, even Dumbledore, like they were vermin. Severus opened his eyes just in time to see his uncle being chased off by a stout woman at least a foot shorter than him. It was almost satisfying to see it.

"Now, my dear, we need to see how responsive you are after your long sleep..." she said, and then began to have Severus wiggle his toes, and bend his legs, and move around, to show what his range of motion was. Severus simply let her get on with her business. He heard Aloysius say something to the order of, "He's a Snape; of course he's fine!" How he wished he was fine enough to knock his lights out! If only he was fine enough to flay Lestrange alive!

"Madame Pomfrey, with all due respect, there is something we need to discuss with him," one of the old men said.

"Mr. Minister, I'm quite sure that you can discuss that foul business another time," she snapped.

A sudden cold dread siezed his heart, even in the midst of his agony over Draco's fate. "Colton..." he muttered.

And, oddly, Dumbledore smiled at Severus, and said, "Is just fine. In fact, he's more than fine, thanks to you." Severus gaped. His uncle was beaming. "He's been cured, Severus. Cured of an injury he sustained in sevice to the Ministry of Magic some years ago. He had Burned Out, Severus. You knew this, of course, because of your latent abilities. But I don't think that you had known that you could cure him of the condition. You've restored his ability to use magic."

"I did?" he breathed. Madame Pomfrey gave him a brief, reassuring smile. He looked to his side, and saw Draco with an unreadable look on his face. "How? Why was I able to do that? I didn't know that I was doing that."

The one-eyes man that Severus had seen in his strange dream finally spoke up. "Laddie," he growled, "you've got a certain power that most wizards or witches had long given up would ever resurface again. Some people had thought that I had the power, once, but it proved that they were wrong. But you have it, without a doubt. You have the power to Break, Severus."

Severus became very pensive at hearing that. "Is that a good thing or not?" he finally asked.

"Why, it's wonderful!" Uncle Aloysius told Severus in a tone that the boy obviously had never heard before. Severus thought dismally that it must be awful if Aloysius was so happy about it. He thought some more. Didn't he ever hear of this before? Surely he must have, in Defense Against the Dark Arts. He glanced to Professor Foxworth, who gave him a mild smile. Then he looked at Dumbledore, who wore as unreadable a face as Draco did. Obviously, those two didn't think that being someone who could Break was such a great thing to be. The Minister of Magic himself was at his bedpost, giving him a keen look.

"Having a Breaker amongst us will change the course of our times, young man," he said. "Now, whenever a prisoner is sent to Azkaban, he or she will be Broken, so that we will not need to use Dementors to guard the prison. A Breaker takes away someone's ability to use magic. And, when the sentence is served, the Breaker can then restore the wizard or witch, just like you did with Professor Colton."

"I'm not interested," Severus declared. "I've been knocked flat on my...back for quite a while, and I'm not feeling all too eager to repeat the experience." Dumbledore smiled, but no one else, especially Uncle Aloysius, did.

"You do what you're told, you useless creature, or I'll toss you out!" he growled. "You're going to finally live up to the Snape name and do something useful with yourself, instead of brewing weight-loss potions over the summer for extra money!" Severus' face reddened; that kind of work was for inferior witches or wizards, especially muggle-borns, not for the elite of the wizarding world. For Uncle Aloysius to even admit that his nephew did that at all was setting him at risk for a minor scandal, at least. He must be really upset with him to even dare and say it at all. Severus glanced at Draco, who was still wearing that unreadable expression.

"What's today's date?" he asked." 

"It's the fourth of May," Dumbledore answered, "since it's past midnight."

Severus frowned; it was his birthday. He had to do something! So he tried to get out of his bed again. He even made it to the edge of the bedpost before he was dragged back in again by several of his unwelcomed guests.

"I think it's time to take a sleeping draught, Mr. Snape. and I'm sure Mr. Malfoy could use just one more dose," Dumbledore suggested strongly as Severus struggled.

"No! I have to get him!" Severus insisted mulishly.

Alastor Moody hobbled over to him and said as he bent down to peer into Severus' furious black eyes, "The only way you'll get Lestrange is to face him after he is sentenced to Azkaban! Just think; you will be the one who takes what is most precious to him away..."

"Moody's right!" Aloysius hissed as he pushed Severus down into the sheets. "Stop fighting this and do the training! Forget about Lestrange until the time comes where he gets justice!" Severus stopped trying to escape, and sunk down into the bed, exhausted. They would keep trying to get what they wanted from him while he was still too weak to fight back. But he would fight back. He'd destroy Lestrange by any means necessary, and the sooner, the better. Ony these thoughts consoled him as he downed another vial of sleeping potion.


	24. Nicholas Flamel's Pensieve

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 24: Nicholas Flamel's Pensieve

Albus Dumbledore removed his glasses and rubbed hs eyes. It was three in the morning. That was how long it took for Severus to calm down after hearing about Lestrange's torture of Draco Malfoy. Now he just hoped that they had gotten through to Severus about not trying to go after Lestrange. Moody thought it was a great idea to inspire Severus to learn more about his newfound powers so that he would someday be able to use them on Lestrange when he winds up in Azkaban. But Albus thought sadly that it might not be for a long while that Lestrange will ever wind up there.

He took a pinch of Floo Powder, and tossed it into his hearth. "Nicholas?" he called quietly.

"Albus!" another man called from the other side of the hearth that Albus had contacted. "What are you doing up this late? Isn't it past your bedtime?" Nicholas simply loved to point out to Albus that he was indeed older than any other living being on this earth, so he'd poke fun at people like Albus, who appeared to be quite old, but ironically were still younger than he.

"Hmph! I hope I didn't wake you," Albus asked dryly.

"Oh, no! You know me..." he said as he waved his hand invitingly. "Come on in, Albus, before we get Ashwinders crawling out of my hearth..." Albus smiled, shook his head, and climed into his magical fire. He came out on the other end, to Nicholas Flamel's study. As always, Nicholas had his telescope pointed out the window, and an open notebook sat on the desk beside it. There were always vast numbers of battered quills and half-empty ink pots littering the study, and five bookcases with sagging shelves full of dusty old tomes that Nicholas had collected and had considered "must reads." The full moon shone in the opened window, which reminded Albus of something.

"Damn," he muttered aloud. "With all the commotion, I forgot completely about Remus! I hope everything is alright..."

"Talking to yourself, Albus? Don't tell me that you're getting Old-Timer's Disease, please!" he joked. Nicholas' blue eyes sparkled with merriment. He laughed at Albus' grave expression. "Now, now, don't you try that 'Headmaster Dumbledore' trick on me! I can recall when you were all of twenty years old, knocking at my door and haranguing me about your madcap ideas about Dragon's Blood!" Albus didn't reply exactly, but began working his jaw side to side. Nicholas had a very ageless quality thanks to the Elixir; one would not be able to tell whether he was thirty or forty based on just his looks. But when one looked into his eyes, eyes that had seen over six hundred years worth of wars, famines, and plagues, one could tell that he was far older than he appeared.

Which, actually, was why Albus came that evening. "Nicholas, I fear that there have been grave happenings at the school lately. It all started when a young man named Draco Malfoy wandered into out midst after travelling through a dark corridor and a mysterious vanishing oak door..." and with that, Albus bagan telling Nicholas the tale of Draco's mysterious journey into the past, his connection with the Order of the Phoenix, and Voldemort's appearance inside Hogwarts earlier that night.

"You've been busy with this little pip, Voldemort, haven't you? Order of the Phoenix? Why didn't you invite me?" Nicholas sniffed.

Albus brightened up. "Well," he drawled, "if you help me with my problem tonight, I'll make you an honorary member."

"What is it that you need at three-thirty in the morning, Albus?"

"Nicholas, have you ever attended a Wizarding Trial in your youth? More to the point, have you ever seen a Breaker before?"

Nicholas drew in his breath sharply. "A Breaker! Goodness, Albus, I know I must have, but it hasn't been for, oh, at least four hundred years. It's very dim in my mind, but that's because I must have put it in one of my Pensieves..." he rambled while walking over to a trick bookcase, which revealed a set of six small cauldrons. Each one was labelled according to the century each cauldron contained. "Hmm... I'd say we should look at the 1500's cauldron. Say, you haven't told me why you want to see a Breaker. I say, the whole thing, from what little I can recall without the Pensieve, that it was a ghastly business. Gives you the, er, how do you call it in this century, the hee-bee-gees?"

"Nicholas, get busy..." Albus reminded him dryly. Nicholas pulled out the 1500's cauldron and placed it on his desk. Then he took out his wand and began poking at the liquid. Albus looked in and the silvery gaseous liquid seemed to look like it hadn't been stirred in at least a hundred years. Which it possibly might not have been. At any rate, the strands began to surface. Nicholas prodded them one at a time. They clumped like overcooked spaghetti, and so Nicholas would work them apart before touching each one with his wand.

He would mutter about each memory, and Albus could very clearly hear him mumble several times, "Better not let Peri see that one!" "Why did I keep this one? Better to have just forgotten it..." Nicholas glared sharply at Albus. "This had better be important, Albus, to make me rememeber things that would have been better forgotten hundreds of years ago!" he snapped.

"I assure you, Nicholas, that this is a matter of the utmost importance. I must see a Breaker first-hand. The only person in existance that can help me with that would be you. Why let all of those precious memories go to waste?" he argued.

"Some things, like Breakers, are best forgotten." Nicholas isolated one strand. He pointed to it with his wand, and Albus could see the strand emerging from the liquid. Clinging to his wand, it looked like a long gray hair. "This is it. The very last time I saw a Breaker at work. His name was Icarus Hendreary. He's quite old in this memory, but I could remember him in his youth, as well. He and his father were both Breakers. But Icarus was the more powerful..." He handed the strand to Albus who would now take the strand back to Hogwart's, where he could study it in his own pensieve, rather than study it in Nicholas' pensieve, where that memory might get mixed up with other random ones that he had put in there.

"I thank you," Albus said, "and now, I must return to the school. Though the night grows very old, it is not over for me, I fear..." Nicholas' mouth tightened as Albus rose from the desk. "Until I return this to you, I bid you good night, or rather, good morning." With that, Albus Dumbleodre left by Floo Powder the same way he came there.

"I wonder... Could we have a new Breaker, after all these years? What is going on at that school of yours, Albus?" Nicholas wondered as he stared into the flames of his fireplace.

* * * *

When Albus returned, he was grateful to find his office empty. He immediately prepared a goblet, which could be used to view one memory, with warm water. Gingerly, he dropped the strand from Nicholas' Penseive into the goblet. Then, he set it on his mantle. The memory would take a few moments to ripen so that he could view it. In the meantime, he sent for a house-elf from the kitchens to fetch him some hot chocolate.

The house-elf hadn't been gone for more than a few seconds when Madame Pomfrey appeared. "Oh, my dear Professor!" she gasped, "You really must get some rest!"

"Something must be distressing you besides my bedtime, Poppy. So, let's hear it," Albus sighed.

"I'm very concerned for Mr. Malfoy's emotional state," Poppy said. "I know that people like to tell victims of his kind to be strong and not let it get to them, but...he can't walk around like that. What I mean is, had he spoken sooner, I would have been able to aid his physical pain, and of course I have given him some remedy even after that, but, he needs emotional remedy as well."

"Your concerns are quite valid, Poppy," Albus nodded. "I think that in the morning, which is not terribly far off, we shall need to speak to someone at St. Mungo's. I think some more expert consultation may be in order, and I understand that there is a witch who specializes in helping people deal with the Cruciatus Curse and it's aftermath. But, let's give Mr. Malfoy some time to sleep first."

The house-elf emerged with Dumbledore's hot chocolate, and he nodded in appreciation as he took the steaming mug and lifted it to his lips. Poppy glared at him. "You'll never be able to sleep once you've filled your system with caffeine!" she protested.

"That's much the idea, Poppy," he answered, winking at her. He rose from his desk and took the goblet from his mantle. The water had turned silver, and images could be seen shimmering on the surface. It was ready for viewing. "If you will excuse me, Poppy, there was a memory that I managed to procure from Nicholas Flamel, and I fear I must not tarry. I have to see what his memory is."

"Very well, but if you don't get yourself to sleep immediately afterward, I shall be forced to drag you down to the Hospital Wing and tuck you into bed myself!" Poppy threatened, and then spun on her heel out the door. Albus chuckled to himself, and then sat down and brought his eyes down into the shimmering mists of the goblet, and seeing the events of over four centuries past in crystal clear detail...

* * * *

The Wizarding Court was especially dark that day. Torches illuminated the hall, as they had always done, but somehow, the walls seemed ever darker than usual. There were many people in court that day; no doubt, a possible Breaking was a good draw. Albus paid special attention to the judge and the jury. None of them appeared to be wearing a collar, so he waited.

A prisoner, a wizard who by all outward appearances was quite clean-cut and even handsome, was led inside by two Dementors. Albus didn't understand; what were the Dementors doing there if they were not needed? He looked to his side, and Nicholas Flamel sat with Perinelle, holding her hand. "I hate when those Dementors come inside," Peri complained. "It makes the whole room so gloomy."

"Dearest, I fear that this entire business is going to get even more gloomy. We just have to keep in our minds what he did," Nicholas reminded her. Then, the proceedings began, and he fell silent.

"We are here today to hear the verdict in this case against Gavin Bingham. The jury has come to a verdict?" the judge confirmed.

"Indeed," one witch said as she stood to address him. Then she sat down with her other jurors.

"Very well, then. All those who vote 'Not Guilty' shall show their hands," he instructed them. Of course, as Albus had suspected, not one raised their hand. "All those who vote 'Guilty' shall show hands," the judge continued. Every one raised their right hand without hesitation. A great deal of hushed murmuring rose from the court, and the convicted prisoner struggled against his binds.

"You have been found guilty, Gavin Bingham, of using the Imperious Curse to gain favors from various females, both Muggle and Witch. As you have been convicted of using one of the Unforgivable Curses, not just once, but on numerous occasions, you shall be Broken and then sent to Azkaban for the remainder of your days." The judge said, amidst the prisoner's many loud protests of innocence.

"But Nicholas," Perinelle whispered, "what if he really _is_ innocent?"

"The Breaker will be able to see it. I've seen it happen where juries have made mistakes, and the Breaker knew that the person was really innocent. Something to do with his aura, I think," Nicholas commented. Then, a very ominous hush fell on the court. A tall fellow, aged, with firey blue eyes and thick white hair, strode into the court. He was dressed very distinctively in a flowing black robe with white sleeves bordered with silver. Long lightning bolts adorned the lapels of the robes, and the man had a thin gold collar aroung his neck. Albus held his breath. There was no mistaking that this man was Icarus Hendreary.

He was handed a black wooden box with similar lighting bolts to his lapels. The convict began to moan in terror. Albus thought quickly that if he were really innocent, then he wouldn't be afraid, as the Breaker would be able to see his innocence.

That obviously was not the case here. Icarus eyed the prisoner, and then took a bright red jewel from the box. After a few silent seconds, the Breaker's lip curled, and the prisoner bellowed, struggling with all his might to break free. Even the Dementors retreated at that point. The room became even darker, if it was possible, or perhaps that was only due to the mood of the moment. The Breaker held the jewel in his hand, as if channeling the power throught the jewel rather than through a traditional wand, and his voice filled the room. _"Rapist!"_ the voice hissed, and then, the prisoner began tossing his head back and forth so forcefully that he might have broken his neck. Albus could almost see something. He struggled to see what it was. Was it a red glow behind the eyes? The convict's head suddenly drooped, and he fell silent. Whatever the Breaker had done, it was over. The jewel was taken from the Breaker's hands immediately. Were there others in that room worried, Albus wondered.

For a brief second, the prisoner lifted his head. Albus had to blink, because the sight was so eerily familiar. Was that blood around his eyes, or was it a trick of his overtired mind? Unfortunately, Nicholas and Perinelle decided to leave, and so Albus didn't get a second chance to see the convict's eyes as he was dragged out of the court.

Albus came up for air, and grit his teeth. Was Gavin bleeding from the eyes or not? Or was he just thinking of Rachel Lestrange? It was nonsense, of course. Rachel Lestrange couldn't have been Broken. Severus was, until late in the evening, in a coma. He was still comatose when she died. And even if he were not, he couldn't have possibly known how to Break her...

"Malfoy..." Albus whispered suddenly. But that was surely impossible. There couldn't be _two_ Breakers in Hogwart's midst, could there? The only one who could make any answers come about would now be Lily Evans. Albus frowned, looking down at his hot chocolate gone way cold by then. He'd have to question her as soon as possible. There would be no rest for the weary now.


	25. Dawn

A Dark Corridor 

Chapter 25: Dawn

Draco never actually finished his potion. He slumbered fitfully for a while, and then woke up again. It was still dark, but at least everyone was gone. That was in itself a vast relief. He looked by Severus, and he was asleep too. To his other side, he saw Lily Evans with her leg propped up. He didn't know that she had gotten hurt last night too. He shook his head sorrowfully; she had nothing to do with this catastrophe of Lestrange and his fixation with torture and revenge. To his thinking, it was so unfair that she would get hurt. He wondered how it happened. Nobody ever said. He hoped that it wasn't...like him. He swallowed. Severus would throw an even bigger fit if he found out his precious Lily had been touched by that monster.

As painful as it was, he replayed in his mind what he had seen around him. Rachel holding the wand, Voldemort staring wild eyed, Lestrange's expression of rapture as Draco screamed. His father wrote the book, but Lestrange had read it. And had implemented it. He was curious about Voldemort. Did the Dark Lord understand what kind of person he was dealing with? Did he care? Was he so desperate for followers that he would accept anyone who would follow? Could he trust Lestrange?

Well, one thing that seemed to help Draco, though it wasn't much, was that he had put the fear of a Breaker into Voldemort's heart. He recalled Lucius once telling him that Voldemort's greatest fear was death. Well, Draco now knew what Voldemort's greatest fear would be. He coulnd't be the most powerful wizard in the world if he couldn't use his magic any more, now could he?

His thoughts were interrupted by the doors of the Hospital wing flying open. He laid very still while several pairs of feet shuffled in. He heard Madame Pomfrey come into the hallway from her small office (did that woman ever sleep?) and mutter, "I wondered when you would be showing up, Mr. Lupin. Here, sit down and I'll get you some pepper-up potion."

Lupin mumbled something incoherent and sat down. Draco heard Professor Foxworth say, "Thankfully, he was where he was supposed to be tonight instead of wandering around like the last time. Professor Dumbledore had been worried about that, in the midst of everything else that has been going on tonight."

"Really?" Madame Pomfrey asked sharply. "Then why does he look like this? He looks like he had a run-in!"

"I...I don't remember," Lupin answered weakly.

Draco heard Madame Pomfrey stomp off, muttering to herself about daredevils and how she just was sure that Lupin had gotten himself into a heap of trouble. Draco so wanted to turn around, but he didn't want to risk Foxworth tricking him into drinking Forgetfulness potion again. Although, all things considered, that might not have been such a bad idea...

_No,_ he told himself. _I have to be strong for myself, and for Severus, and for Drucilla._ He was a Breaker too, and as long as he remained uncollared, he would be a far greater threat to Voldemort than Severus. But to keep the collar off himself, he needed to keep his secret. It wasn't like he was going to Break anyone he came across. They could trust him. He could trust himself. He was going to show them what a real wizard was made of! He wasn't going to fall to pieces over Lestrange's madness by going mad himself! But he hurt, deep inside. He wished he had his dagger under his pillow here.

"There you are," Draco heard Madame Pomfrey tell Lupin. He must have drank the potion, because then Foxworth hustled him out. When Madame Pomfrey retreated back into her office, Draco got out of his bed. He took the book that Lestrange had left behind out of Lily's robe pocket. He went over to the fireplace, and examined the handwriting in it. It started out as a journal of homework assignments in his father's neat, concise script. He turned the pages one by one until the more lurid entries began. Here, his father's hand became more jerky, as if he were writing in a great hurry before the ideas left his mind.

_18th May, I remembered more details of one of my past lives. My bones ache from it. I could see hammers being borne down upon me while I was tied to the ground. No, not hammers, but huge wooden mallets. One by one, the three men cracked my bones until I had no structure left to myself. Then I was left a pile of shapeless flesh, but they were not through with me. They took the wheel, it was a wagon wheel of many spokes, and they wove my body through the wheel spokes. I don't understand why they were doing this, except to agonise me more. I could not break free, certainly, because muscles with no bones could do nothing. The sun is blinding as I'm raised up, and I can hear cheering all around me. I must have done something terrible to deserve this, but I don't know what it is..._

Draco's stomach churned. He didn't realize that his father had been so troubled by these visions. He shook his head. Didn't Lucius know that such past-life research should be guided by someone so that he wouldn't misinterpret what he was recalling? Draco himself had past-life memories; one of them he was a woman in fourteeth century Florence who was the servant of a scholar, and was probably in love with him too. From what little more he gathered of the past-life memory, the scholar used her for sex a few times, but of course never married her. Ha! He couldn't picture tolerating that sort of treatment in this life, as he was now. Just because in another life, his father was broken on the wheel (a chill went down Draco's spine when he termed it that way) because of some crime didn't mean that in this life he should behave the same way in this one!

Taking a deep breath, he opened the book again. The next entry was 5th July, which was quite a jump. Perhaps he needed a break...

_I know my crime now. I was a witch._

That was all that was said. What? Didn't Muggles used to burn witches at the stake, or something like that? Certainly Father couldn't have been a _real_ witch, because if he had been, couldn't he have escaped?

He put the book down; he couldn't deal with this anymore today. Maybe another time. It was just too much overload. He was about to burn the book, but he decided to put that on hold.

He went over to Severus Snape's bedside. What would become of his friend now? His horrid uncle was looming large, and Moody too. They would surely be taking him once the school year was over to start training him. Draco wondered why _he_ knew already how to Break. That was weird, to say the least. He wished he could say something to Severus about it. Maybe, he thought wildly, _he_ could teach Sev how to do it. It sure would spare everybody a lot of headaches. And it might even piss off Sev's uncle, which made the deal even sweeter. The only problem was, they'd never go along with it, and he'd have a gold collar on himself faster than he could blink.

"Sev," he whispered. "You awake?" Severus snored slightly in response. "Sure, snooze away. It's your birthday after all; you should be allowed to sleep in. Not that you haven't already gotten enough sleep, you lazy slug. While I've been toiling away with classes, and learning how to change into my animal form, you've been dreaming about Lily. Well, I hope they were good ones..."

Draco paused, and then he said, "Y'know, Sev, I can't tell you everything. I know that drives you up a wall; I remember when you were my professor. You were like our father. You showed how much you cared about us Slytherins. You always were there, in the dormitory, every night. Never failing to take a check on us. Even when you had to stand guard all night long afterwards, like during my second year. To protect us. I always had hoped that you would know just how much we loved you for it. Every time I played Quidditch, I played so you'd be proud of me. And I'm glad it was for you that I played, and not my father. I just always wished I could have told you that.

"I scared now, Sev. I had to tell you these things. I wish you were awake. Because I had to tell you about that now, while I'm still alive." Tears blurred his eyes, and he felt his throat start to close.

A mumbling tired voice uttered, "Someone had to do something for us Slytherins..." Draco forced the lump from his throat and blinked several times to hide his distress. He didn't want Severus getting worked up any more. He wouldn't have said anything about his fear that he'll be murdered if he had thought that Severus was really awake.

"You just rest, Sev. Don't worry about me. I can make it," he assured him. "By the way, Happy Birthday. I'm going to the dorm. Did you need anything?"

"My birthday? Oh, yeah. Is it the morning of my birthday, or the middle of the night?"

"It's dawn, Sev." Draco went to the window, where he could see a faint light over the trees that formed the Forbidden Forest.

"Good," Severus breathed. "Just get me my warmer pyjamas, my slippers, and there's a small tan leather pouch under my dirty socks in my trunk. Don't let anyone see it," he added cryptically. "And hurry back," he ordered gruffly, "because I'm cold."

Draco slipped through the halls quietly on his way back to Slytherin House. Very few people were around, and he hid from anyone who passed by him. He even steered clear of Drucilla and Andi, who were no doubt on their way to the Hospital Wing to visit Lily. Once he got to Slytherin House, he stalked inside and gave a nasty glowering look to anyone who might have been up at that hour, trying to glean information from him about what was going on last night.

When he opened his dormitory door, his jaw dropped. There were crystals hanging from the ceiling, and red tassles with strange coins tied to the bedposts. Draco noticed that there were only four beds in the dorm now. Rosier and Avery were already wide awake, standing in the middle of the room and holding what looked like a compass in their hands.

"Malfoy!" they both gasped together.

"I'm just getting a few of Sev's things. He woke up from his coma last night," Draco reported.

"Really? Then it's working, Evan!" Avery beamed.

"What's working? What is all this?" Draco demanded, brushing a multi-faceted crystal away from his face as he headed to Severus' trunk.

"We finally figured out what was wrong with this dormitory. All year, there's been bad doings in here. We think Severus would be pleased. We put I Ching coins on his bedposts."

Draco looked at Avery like he'd lost his mind. "I Ching coins?"

"For prosperity," Avery nodded, thouroughly convinced that he'd done well.

"I don't get it," Draco frowned.

"It's Feng Shui, Malfoy! This room had bad chi flowing in it. We even put a mirror under the toilet to keep the chi from getting flushed down the toilet."

_"Feng Shui?"_ Draco scoffed. "Are you two out of your fucking minds?"

"It's working, Malfoy!" Evan protested. "We hung a crystal from the Health area of the room, and Severus woke up from his coma!"

Draco sighed. He supposed that it couldn't hurt, although when Severus sees what this room looks like, he was going to have a fit. He muttered to himself about idiotic behavior when he came across Severus' wand. He paused and thought about his own wand, which was missing. He could never use it again. Not after what Lestrange had done with it. He took Severus' wand and even though it didn't feel the same, he supposed he had better use it. He took the things Severus had requested and then slammed it shut. "You'd better get this shit down before Severus comes back in here," he warned Avery, hitting a small brass bell with his head as he turned around.

"We put a good luck Dragon in your corner, Malfoy," Evan grinned.

"Really?" he asked, suddenly oddly touched by their concern. "Well, maybe we'll leave that. Lord and Lady know I need it."

Finally, Draco was decently dressed in one of Slytherin's robes and his school uniform. He kept Severus' things wrapped up together as he came back into the Hospital Wing. Drucilla and Andi were standing between Lily's and Severus' beds when he got there. Drucilla broke off from them and ran straight into Draco's arms. "I was so afraid for you and Lily last night! No one would tell us anything!"

"It's alright now, Dru," Draco lied. "I'll be fine, and so will Lily."

"That's good to hear, Mr Malfoy." Dumbledore was standing behind all of them. Lily brightened, as did Dru and Andi. Severus just stared at Lily like he'd lost all his wits. And Draco's had darkened. "There's someone here I'd like you to meet, Mr. Malfoy."

"Not now..." Draco growled. "Not here..." He gave one look at the woman standing beside Professor Dumbledore, and he knew exactly who she must be, and what she must be doing there. Someone to help Draco "deal with" what Lestrange had done to him. He didn't want to get into it now, with Drucilla and Severus and Aunt Andi and Lily standing right there. Damn it why not shout it from the damned rooftops of Hogwarts, while they were at it?

"Very well, Mr. Malfoy, or may I call you Draco?" the woman asked. She was an elderly lady, small and very frail looking. Draco could probably break her neck with his pinky finger. "I can see that you are busy. I will be here for you later."

"Thank you," Draco said stiffly, just like his father would have done in his situation. What could this woman possible know about the Cruciatus Curse, anyway? Drucilla looked up at Draco, whose expression had hardened considerably, and she drew away. "Excuse me, I need some air," Draco said finally and hurried off, leaving Severus' things in a heap on his bed.


	26. Crossed Lines

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 26: Crossed Lines

_Note: This chapter is more rated R than some of my other ones, just to give you a warning in case you skipped over my little tirade all the way back in chapter 1. Just thought you'd like to know..._

Drucilla, Lily and Andromeda sat in the brilliant sunshine streaming into the Hufflepuff girl's dormitory. All three of them were troubled, but for different reasons. Andromeda was still a bit apprehensive about Severus; she seemed to notice something about his behavior that the other two hadn't. She noticed how he had been looking at Lily. His dark eyes were filled with a strong desire, and they were pointed straight at Lily. What, having both Drucilla and herself was not enough for him? He had to have Lily too? Only, Andromeda figured, there was no way that Lily would ever give Severus Snape the time of day. Not after their long bitter history...

Drucilla was fretting over Draco. His behavior upset her very much. She was convinced that something terrible had happened to him, and she was annoyed with Lily for not telling her every detail of how she had found Draco. The two friends were on the verge of an argument of epic porportions, only Lily wasn't feeling up to shouting.

Lily had something else on her mind. Rachel Lestrange. She found out, over breakfast in the Great Hall that morning, that Rachel had died last night. There were whispers of suicide, though no one of authority would say a word. No one was talking about Voldemort being in the school. That must mean that Professor Dumbledore had managed to keep that under wraps. So Lily kept her silence, though it was starting to grind her insides. She knew Drucilla was worried over Draco. Lily didn't know very much, but seeing as she found Draco Malfoy laying practically unconscious and without clothes on in an abandoned classroom, she could pretty much assume that whatever happened, it wasn't pretty. And it had to do with Rachel and Rodolphus, who was also missing. She didn't tell Drucilla any of that. In fact, she couldn't even tell her how she had managed to break her ankle last night.

Their session was interrupted by Professor Sprout. "Miss Evans, dear, Professor Dumbledore needs to see you. Mr. and Mrs Lestrange are here, he wanted me to tell you." She patted Lily on her shoulder, and suddenly, Drucilla's tongue stuck to the top of her mouth, and Andromeda shook herself out of her reverie. Lily was on the point of bursting out crying. All three of them rose from their window seat cushions to leave. "No, Miss Webster, you and Miss Black must stay here. I'll escort her to Professor Dumbledore's office."

Sadly, Lily left with Professor Sprout. The walk to Dumbledore's office was silent and brief.

The first thing Lily heard when she arrived at the top of the spiral staircase was a man yelling, "I'll not have my daughter's body touched by some filthy Muggle, Dumbledore! I won't have it. I don't care what your theories are!" Lily entered the circular office, which was so bright with sunshine through the skylights that it was nearly blinding. She took a deep breath and could feel every eye in the room was on her.

"Miss Evans, please have a seat." A chair with padded arms and back and seat was moved magically to her side, and she sat in it gingerly, gripping the arms with nerves. She was determined not to start chewing her nails. "This is Alastor Moody, you might have seen him in the Hospital Wing earlier. He is with the Ministry of Magic." Lily nodded. Moody was eyeing her in a very curious manner, at least his real eye was. It reminded her of a glare she thought Severus Snape had been giving her. She didn't exactly know what was going on, but it made her uncomfortable. "And these are Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange, Rachel's parents."

"From what we understand, you were the last person to see our daughter alive. Evans? I don't recognise the name..." Mr. Lestrange muttered. Both he and Mrs. Lestrange looked a great deal like their twin children, but Mrs. Lestrange was thinner than Rachel had been, and Rachel was not in any way a heavy girl.

Lily's eyes brightened. "Why, I can't understand why you haven't heard the Evans neame. After all, there are Evans all over Britain, and even in the United States. At one point, we even had a family reunion, all fifty thousand of us, in Evansville, Illinois."

Mrs. Lestrange held a handkercheif up to her nose, making at dabbing, and muttered under her breath, "Ugh, a Muggle-born..." Lily did hear it, but Mr. Lestrange tried to cover it up by clearing his throat. "Did you share classes with her?" Mrs. Lestrange asked.

"I was in her Potions class," Lily told her coldly. "In Professor Colton's class, we are not allowed to talk, therefore, we didn't get to know eachother too well."

"What happened last night, that you had occasion to see her?" Moody asked. The Lestranges, despite their grief, still managed to make evey effort to be rude. Their prejudices may get in the way of solving what happened to their daughter, but they didn't care.

"Well, I was on my way to see my friend in Hufflepuff House when I saw three people running so fast I don't even think they saw me..." Lily began. "One of them was Voldemort. And the other two were Rachel and Roldolphus."

The words hung in the air like an axe blade ready to swoop down. Mr. Lestrange stood up. "Not...him! My children couldn't be running with that lunatic?" he protested.

"That Half-Blooded misfit!" Mrs. Lestrange corrected him.

"He ran straight into me! I looked into his blood-red eyes. I know what I saw! It was Voldemort." Lily rose from her seat and glared at Mrs. Lestrange, who shielded her nose with her lacy handkerchief. "I'm not stupid, nor am I lying. Rachel and Rodolphus were with him, running as if their lives were in peril."

"But why? What could have frightened the Dark Lord so much that he'd run for his life?" Moody asked.

"Mr. Moody. I didn't say that they were _running for their lives._ I said that the _were running as if their lives were in peril."_ Lily told him, while looking right at Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange.

"Forgive me, but I don't see the difference. What, short of deadly consequences, could make them flee so quickly?" Moody asked.

"I don't know for certain...All I can say is that Voldemort didn't care if he ran right over me to escape," Lily said. "But Rachel...She seemd strange. She didn't seem to care if she was caught. Rodolphus pulled her away from me." 

"Did she say anything to you? How did she appear strange?" Moddy grilled her.

"She...seemed...injured. I've never seen anything like it. I don't understand it."

"Lily, please, try to remember anything she might have said to you," Dumbledore pleaded with her.

"Let's just say that even in the midst of their very obvious fright, Rachel managed to say a few choice words to me about my poor lineage. Much like you and Mrs. Lestrange are managing to do even during your grief." She knew she was agitating the Lestranges, but she didn't care. They, however, had run short on patience.

"You little Mudblood bitch!" Mr. Lestrange growled, reaching out and grabbing Lily by the arm. "First, you lie about my children, then you dangle carrots before our eyes, and lastly, you insult your betters! You tell us right now what really happened to my children!"

Dumbledore rose to his feet, and Moody whipped out his wand in alarm, but it made no difference. Lily shook Mr. Lestange's hand off her arm in one sure movement, and Mr. Lestrange was left glaring at his hand in shock. He gasped, and then breathed "They were running away from you! You killed my daughter because she made fun of you!" Mr. Lestrange said wildly.

"That is absurd!" Moody protested.

"And how would you know? You weren't there! I know what I see..." Mr. Lestrange breathed. "How you can allow people like this creature to attend this school, on the good graces of purely bred witches and wizards, like my children, is beyond me, Dumbledore. But I assure you, it won't last much longer. Come along! We're taking Rachel with us, and we're going to find her brother, if he's still alive." He and his wife hastily made their exit.

"Alastor, they can't take Rachel's body yet; I must know what happened to her," Dumbledore said under his breath to the Ministry Auror.

"I don't know how much longer I can stall them, but I'll try," he growled. On his way out, Moody reached for Lily's face, and caught her chin gently. "Don't you let those fools upset you lass," he grinned. "You just gave Mr. Lestrange a good fright, that's all."

"I don't understand how I might have frightened him. And what good did it do? Now he thinks I killed Rachel!" she cried.

"That's why, once Alastor catches up with them, you must tell me every detail about what happened, my dear," Dumbledore warned her. "We will be able to counter his accusations with proof that Rachel had motive to kill herself, but we can't do that without more proof. They will never believe ill of their children, and they would be able to convince a jury to side with them over a Muggle-born, unless you provide irrefutable proof of your innocence, Lily."

"Stop scaring her, Albus!" Moody reprimanded him.

"Get moving, Alastor!" Dumbledore countered. Moody stumped out of Dumbledore's office in a hurry. Then Dumbledore gave a look at Lily, who appeared frightened out of her mind. "This past night has been a nightmare, and not only for me. Lily, my dear child, I know that Voldemort was running away from Draco Malfoy. I have a suspicion that I know why, and it is of the utmost importance that you tell me what you might know about Rachel's condition when you last saw her."

"She was alive!" Lily protested.

"I'm sure she was. I find it ridiculus that you would take the time, with a broken ankle, to hang Rachel from the staircase landing rails. And I know Mr. Malfoy didn't do it either. You see, I'm fighting the Lestranges over having an autopsy done on Rachel's body. Do you know what an autopsy is?"

"Yes, I do, Professor, though I don't know what good it would do," Lily said.

"We know she died from strangulation, if that's what you are implying. But there was something else I'm certain you noticed. She was bleeding from her eyes. I need desperately to know how that happened to her. How the bleeding was caused."

Lily thought about this for a moment. Rachel had those bloody eyes, and she had said something to Lily, in rage and despair. "Whatever it was, I'm sure she deserved it," Lily huffed. She wasn't going to say anything that would get Draco Malfoy in trouble. Then Drucilla would really be upset with her. But if they were going to try and charge her with murder... The whole situation was unreal.

"Lily, I beg you, clear your name! If Rachel said anything to you at all, you must tell me. If you are by some remote chance found guilty of murder, you will be sent to Azkaban for the rest of your life. And let me tell you something, there's more to a visit to Azkaban nowadays than there used to be. Lily, they've found a Breaker, and they will be training him soon to take care of prisoners before they are sent to the wizarding prison. You may be the first person that gets Broken in almost five hundred years. If I had to live through seeing you go through that, I would not want to take another breath after that."

"But what if you get the autopsy done?" Lily asked.

"I think that it would help you."

"Professor Dumbledore, I'm feeling very sick to my stomach. Please excuse me." Lily dashed out of his office before he could open his mouth to protest.

"Oh, Lily, what are you hiding? What happened to Rachel Lestrange that you won't reveal?" Dumbledore sighed sadly.

* * * *

Severus was allowed a fifteen minute walk through the halls around one in the afternoon. Classes had been cancelled that day, so there were students here and there. Many of them waved hello to him, since they knew he had just come out of a coma. He forced himself to smile at them as they passed by. He was in a most foul mood. He was making a list of things the had to do, and killing Lestrange was the number one thing. Severus had warned him to leave Draco alone. The bastard used Draco's inability to defend himself against him, as Severus had feared he would. One of the people he loved most in this world had been violated, no, raped with his own wand, and Severus blamed himself. How would he ever be able to help Draco through this, when he himself could not even comprehend how it must have been?

And then, there was that foul Breaker business that he still didn't understand very well. He was damned if he was going to live at Azkaban the rest of his life. He wanted to become an Auror, now more than ever. But Breakers were apparently very esteemed in the wizarding world, if the reactions he'd been getting from Uncle Aloysius were any gauge. He'd have to go to the Library and read up on Breakers, to understand more of what was now expected of him. To think that he had the ability to take another person's magical powers away! The thought made his heart race, but not in a good way. He began to hate the very notion that any human being could be able to do such a horrible thing. But didn't some people deserve it? Surely if Lestrange is ever caught, he'd be tried and sent to Azkaban. Then, Severus could see the need to strip the magic out of his flesh...

While deep in thought, Severus bumped into Andromeda Black, who was not budging from her place, planted right in the middle of his path. "What is it, Andi?" he asked warily.

"We have to talk, now!" she announced. Severus' heart began to race again. He didn't know what she was trying to pull, but he didn't like it. She led him to an empty classroom, and locked the door behind them when he shuffled in.

"What is it?" he asked.

Andromeda's cold grey eyes stared right into his deep black ones. She was tall, almost his height, and at the moment, more than likely stronger too. "I want to know what your intentions are with Lily."

"What? Did Draco say something to you?" Severus growled irritably. Yes he loved Draco, but he'd sincerely love to kick his ass, once he's fully recovered, of course. He had no business blabbing all over the school about his love for Lily Evans.

"He doesn't have to, Severus. I'm not stupid; I've seen you looking at her, like you'd like to get a piece of her next. I won't have it! I suppose I'm not enough for you; you have to have all three of us!" Andromeda was showing some of that Veela Blood that was reputed to be in her mother's bloodline; her face, pale and snow white, had two dark red blotches coloring her cheeks. Severus stared at her in surprise. She was jealous!

His lips formed a smirk, and he thought to himself, if only he was a little stronger. Or maybe he was strong enough... "You know," he began slowly, "I dreamt of you while I was in my coma..." Which was true, but he decided to omit the fact that she was just one of many girls he'd dreamt about while he was floating around in the Coma Dimension.

"You did?" she said in disbelief.

"Oh, yes. What is it about you that I can't get out of my mind? Or, maybe the more important question is, what is it about _me_ that you can't get out of _your_ mind?" he asked in an entirely different voice than usual. Severus drew nearer to Andromeda, and she didn't retreat. She was listening to his voice... "Did you miss me, Andromeda?" he queried softly as he reached for Andi's cheek.

"I..." she sighed. Severus came close enough to touch her ear with his lips. He pressed her body against his and began stroking her backside.

"You did miss me. You missed my words in your ear, telling you how much I wanted you. You missed the way it made your heart beat harder, like it is now." Severus steered Andromeda to a desktop nearby, and as she backed into it gently, he parted her school robes and let them fall from her shoulders. He could see her almost trancelike state as she watched his lips move. Passively, she stared at his mouth as he unbuttoned her blouse. He leaned over and kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth as he reached under her bra and felt her small breasts. "You missed how my touch made you feel, like you were in another world where nothing at all mattered except how your body felt." Severus' voice grew more husky as he grew aroused.

Andi leaned into the desk as Severus kept one hand on her breast, and reached under her skirt with the other. As he slid his fingers under her panties, he breathed, "Did you miss all this, Andi? Tell me you missed me..." Andromeda could only manage an affirmative sort of moan as he began to stroke her tiny sex teasingly. After moving her back more, so that she was actually on top of the deak, Severus slid his finger inside her, and continued stroking her nub with his thumb. Andi's wet passage close possesively around his finger, and he smirked. "Oh, yeah, you missed me alright. But I bet I know what you missed most, baby," he taunted her. Andi gasped as his teasing touch brought her to orgasm.

"Severus Snape," she breathed, "you're a nasty Slytherin bastard," even as she watched him open his pants.

"And you," he grinned as he entered her, "are a curious Ravenclaw who wanted to know what sex was like. So you came to me." He held her legs open as he moved slowly inside her. Andromeda moaned again as he moved. "You like this part the best, don't you? You want me to go deeper; you like deeper. Don't you?" he teased.

"Yes...now!" she gasped demandingly.

Severus gripped her by her hips and buried himself as deeply as he dared. He could dimly see Andromeda's hands gripping the side of the desk. "Like this?"

"Yes!" she panted. Severus then lost himself in his own pleasure. While inside a woman, he could forget all of his pain. He could find peace from his own mind, because his mind was absent, empty. All the stress departed, and when he found his release, he took a deep shuddering breath.

Unfortuantely, the pain and problems return all too quickly. He looked up, and Andromeda was looking back at him, frowning. "What?" he asked, trying to shake his brain out of the haze.

"Move," she ordered him. Severus backed away, and then turned away as he straightened himself up. "This wasn't what I came here for," she continued. Oh, so now she was annoyed with herself because he gave her what she wanted. Why did girls always want to discuss things after sex? He never could understand that...

"Like hell it wasn't!" he snapped. He was back into his foul mood, and that it happened so quickly dismayed him.

Andromeda shrugged slightly as she pulled her skirt back down and buttoned her blouse. "Not for a quickie in an empty classroom."

"Well," he drawled, "I'm afraid I don't have time for anything else. Madame Pomfrey is probably wondering where I am right now.

Andromeda snorted in an unladylike manner as she stood up. "Some coma... I've never heard of anyone having sexual intercourse less than twenty-four hours after waking up from a coma!" Severus rolled his eyes. Only a Ravenclaw would call what they had just did "sexual intercourse!" This afternoons activities could only be categorized in his Slytherin mind as a quick fuck!

Perversely, he said, "Just one of my many talents, Andi. Well, anytime that you feel the urge to have er, 'sexual intercourse' again, just look for me." Andromeda gave him a cold look and turned on her heel. The door banged shut behind her. "Ravenclaws..." he muttered.

After making sure his pyjamas were in place decently, Severus went to the door, and heard someone approaching. He hoped it wan't Andromeda again, and opened the door. Just outside the door, in the hallway, was Lily. She was peering down the hall, as though looking for someone. He found his voice at last. "Lily?" She turned and saw him. Her green eyes widened, and she looked as though ready to dash off. "Wait," he said quietly. "Who are you looking for?"

She looked doubtfully at Severus. "I was looking for Dru, or even Andi. But," she paused, "maybe you can help me." Severus smiled brightly; maybe he could help her! "Are you going to be seeing Draco Malfoy again today?"

His smile began to slip somewhat. "I should be. Why?"

"If I give you this, could you please make sure he gets it back?" Lily asked, reaching into her school robe pocket.

"Sure," he answered, watching Lily as she began to take something out of her pocket. He supposed it was a love note from Dru, at first. But then, he couldn't contain his shock when she produced Draco's wand.

"I've been carrying it around since I found him last night. Is he going to be alright?" she asked.

Instead of barraging her with question about how she could have found him last night, he replied, "I think so. He's going to have a hard time, but he'll get better. He has to..."

Lily handed Severus the wand. His stomach turned as he took it. Lily couldn't possibly know what had been done with that wand last night, could she? He prayed that she was clueless about the atrocities Lestrange and his sister committed. He tried to look in her eyes, but they were unreadable. "I have to go now."

"You can trust me," he nodded. She didn't answer, and flew off as soon as she could. Sure, she could trust him, he thought in disgust. Her friend must be halfway back to Ravenclaw House by now, still with the taste of his lips on hers. He stood there dumbly, looking down at the offensive wand in his grip, and struggled with all his might not to howl with grief.

* * * *

Draco was prowling the halls of the school. Why couldn't he find those four twerps when he needed them? Especially when it was their sorry asses he was trying to save? He knew that he was in the genral vicinity of Gryffindor House. As a prefect or the school in the past/future, he knew where all of the Houses were located, even though he didn't obviously know all of the passwords.

On his way, he happened upon Lily Evans. "Oh!" she said in surprise, "I didn't expect to run into you here. I gave your wand to Severus; I hope you don't mind. I'm sure he'll give it back to you..." She frowned as she saw a shadow seem to fall over his face. "How are you?"

"I'll survive," he answered. "While I have you here, there's something I want to talk about. I know that Dumbledore and Moody have been pumping you for information about last night. What did you tell them?"

"Draco, it's horrible! I don't know what to do! The Lestranges think I had something to do with Rachel's death!" Lily cried.

"Oh, shit," Draco growled. "What the hell are they thinking?"

"They think I killed her. That I did something to her to make her unable to use her magic, and then..." she said frantically.

Draco's eyes flew open in panic. "Wait! They actually said that?"

"In so many words!"

"But why do they think _that she couldn't use her magic?"_ he asked frantically. They couldn't have gotten so much information yet! They'd be hunting him down in the halls as they spoke!

"Well, they don't, I don't think," Lily looked pensive. "But I know. She told me so."

Draco's heart was pounding in terror. "Lily, did you tell them that she said that?" he asked.

"No, no I didn't. How did you know she couldn't use her magic?" Lily asked suspiciously.

"I know..." Draco took another big risk by adding, "because I somehow destroyed her ability to use it." Lily's jaw dropped. He drew a deep breath and continued. "I had to do something!" Lily's expression changed, to one of pity. Even though Draco hated for her pity, he had to play it. "I...can't even talk about it. It was..." He couldn't even bring himself to speak any more of it. "But Lily, I'm worried that someone will try to make more of it than there is. She committed suicide last night, because she couldn't use her powers any more. I know I'm asking a great deal of you, but please, please don't say anything about what she told you!"

"I won't say anything, unless they threaten to throw me in Azkaban," Lily told him.

"Don't worry; I'll make sure that nonsense is over with by tonight. But in return, just keep quiet about Rachel. Soon, all of this will die down, and we can get on with our lives."

"Oh, I could only imagine how horrible it must have been for you," Lily cried as she threw her arms around him. Draco sighed and put his arms around her too.

"Don't worry about me, and don't worry about the Lestranges. Once I get done with them, the'll be glad that Rachel's gone from this life and they'll be the first ones to turn their precious son in when he comes running to them for help." He looked into her green eyes that had been crying, and she looked into his that had seen untold horror. For a few seconds, they just remained in eachother's embrace, somehow transfixed by eachother's gaze.

And then, without any thought about what he was doing, Draco leaned down and kissed Lily's quivering lips.

**********

NOTE: Just another reminder that I have a growing email list for anyone who'd like me to drop a line when the next chapter is posted!


	27. The Storm

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 27: The Storm

Draco drew back, and saw the shock in Lily's eyes. And who could blame her; he was shocked himself. "Oh," she managed, touching her lips whe he'd just kissed her. She pulled back a bit more, and it was a good thing too.

"Well, doesn't this look cozy?" they heard. With a start, they both looked to the side and saw James, with Sirius not far behind him.

"It's not what I'm sure a dirty minded person like you is thinking..." Draco said.

"Oh, I don't think you can be sure what Jim here is thinking. His mind dwells at the very bottom of a deep sewer," Sirius joked as he put his hand over James' shoulder. The bespecatcled young man, who was slightly shorter than Sirius Black, gave his best chum a shove.

"If that's true, it's only because of your nasty influence. I was an innocent child until I prowled these halls with this miscreant," he explained to Draco, who seemed to calm down somewhat. If it started going around the school that he was kissing Lily Evans in the halls, both Drucilla and Severus would be fighting over who gets to cut his balls off first. That was the _last_ thing he needed now.

"And you do indeed seem to do a bit of prowling. I came over here, hoping to find you. Lily here was telling me that Severus has my wand," Draco clarified. Lily silently scurried off like a mouse who just found her way out of the trap. Both he and James watched her go for a few seconds, and Draco found that his head was aching. Actually, that wasn't accurate, it was really pounding. "I have enough trouble without worrying about you assholes."

"I'm aware of what happened last night," James said simply. Draco's eyes flew open, and his head swirled. "You had some sort of run-in with Voldemort. Judging from the way Lily found you, it's not likely that you joined him."

"Join him? The only one looking to join him was Lestrange. And his whore sister," Draco growled. Sirius and James remained silent as he tried to get a grip on himself.

"What did they want with you? Did you accidentally run into them?" James asked.

"You could say that. But since he had me, he decided to ask me about the Order of the Phoenix," Draco answered in a whisper. "I had to give him your names. I wanted to let you know."

James simply nodded. "He knows I will never join his group, and he knows of Sirius' allegience to the Order as well. I appreciate that you felt you needed to tell us of the danger, but we're already quite well aware of it."

"What about Lupin?" Draco asked.

Sirius surprised Draco with a knowing smile. "Voldemort wouldn't touch Lupin with a ten foot broomstick."

"Sirius! Voldemort would like to destroy anyone who stands in his way. That includes Lupin!" James retorted, but there was something in his voice that Draco, despite his headache, was able to hear. It was almost as if the statement was for _Draco's_ benefit, rather than Sirius'. What else were they hiding?

"Is El Strange gone with Voldemort?" Sirius asked. Draco nodded absently. "I wonder why Rachel Lestrange killed herself," Sirius thought aloud, much to Draco's discomfort.

"The matter is under investigation by the Ministry, as well as Professor Dumbledore. But Lily told me, just now, that the Lestranges believe that _she_ had something to do with Rachel's death. She's scared to death that the Ministry will believe them."

"Why? Because she's Muggle-born? That just kills me, that they could be such bigoted assholes!" James raged.

"Potter," Draco said dismissively, "no one except an idiot would take the raving of two bereaved parents against the word of reason."

"Don't be so sure of that," James warned him. "There are very few people like Lily in this school. There are lots of people that don't want 'her kind' here at all, including your good buddy Severus Snape! If those people could find an excuse to throw her out of Hogwarts and out of the wizarding world, they'll use it."

"Well, I know that when I attended Hogwarts in my time, there were plenty of Muggle-borns in school," Draco countered. "So, 'those people' didn't have quite the influence that you say they do."

Sirius considered this for a second, and then said, "Well, I wager that the Hogwarts of your time must have been rather crowded, with Muggle-borns in high numbers, as well as pure blooded, and half-blooded..."

"Actually, no." They both looked surprised when Draco continued. "It appears that although Voldemort says he hates Muggles, it's wizards and witches that die under his wand." His eyes lingered a bit longer on James than he had meant them to. "Go and tell your Order that." Draco turned away from them and stalked off, hoping he'd have enough strength to get his wand away from Severus.

* * * *

Severus had just recieved a sponge bath from Madame Pomfrey, which had embarrassed him to no end, despite her reassurances that she'd done it quite a few times while he was off in La La land. He now sat up in his bed with a look a pure misery on his face when Draco strode into the Hospital Wing. "You alright there, Sev?" he asked when he saw Severus' dour look. "You look like you need some air."

"I'd like some air alright, but not now. I'd rather see that you finally got some of Madame Pomfrey's attentions, if for no other reason than she'll stop picking on me," Severus complained.

"Well, I do have a headache..." Draco admitted.

"Bad?" Severus asked.

Draco would have nodded, but it would make his head spin too much, so he just answered, "I'll live." That was when he fell off balance when he made too sharp a turn, and caught onto Severus' headboard to keep himself from falling down. _No,_ Draco thought, I'm not spending another night in this Hospital Wing, I won't! His stomach made a terrible lurch from the dizziness, and he had the unpleasnt feeling that his breakfast, eaten hours ago, was going to come back and haunt him. He barely heard Severus screaming for Madame Pomfrey.

"Mr. Snape, what is it?" The question was not asked by Madame Pomfrey, but by Professor Dumbledore. He saw Draco's condition, and made a grab for him. Panicked, Draco spun away from Dumbledore's grasp. He saw Severus' night robe hanging nearby, and saw the wand that Lily had returned earlier poking out of the pocket. Draco grit his teeth, dashed to the robe and fished his wand out of the pocket, then pointed it at Dumbledore.

"Draco! What are you doing?" Severus yelled. He tried to get out of bed, but thanks to his exertions earlier with Andromeda, he was too tired to lift himself out of the bed in time. "You _can't_ use that wand!"

"It's my wand, and it's my life! Stay away from me!" Draco screamed, then dashed out quickly, before Dumbledore could get to the door.

"No, Severus, you stay in that bed, or Madame Pomfrey will have my head!" Dumbledore ordered him when Severus tried to lift himself out of bed. "I must get him before he runs off; if I'm not mistaken, Draco is in terrible danger."

"When isn't he?" Severus snapped, standing up at last. "And he's got _that wand!_"

"Stay there! I'll bring him back, Severus."

* * * *

Draco pushed through the great oaken doors of the school, and plowed down the stairs with his wand tight in his grip. The pain in his hand and arm from holding it was extraordinary, but he ignored it. After all, this wand had given him even worse pain than this. All he could think about was escape. The wind had picked up considerably, and the sky was dark. He looked up, and saw the storm clouds gathering over him.

To his left, he saw Hagrid's hut, and decided to go right instead. He didn't want to meet up with Hagrid of all people. His heart was racing wildly as he ran, but he ignored that as well. Lightning cut through the dark sky, and a few fat raindrops began to fall. Though it wan't really a good idea to seek shelter in the Forbidden Forest, Draco thought irrationally that it would be better to get struck by lightning than to get caught.

He stumbled into the forest, and slipped on some old leaves that covered the path. He fell backwards, hitting his head, which did nothing to help his headache at all. He turned over and vomited. "Damn," he said aloud, and his throat burned from it. He was now so weak that he didn't care if he slept right there, in the rain, in the mud. So, that was what he did.

A few hours passed. Draco picked his heavy head up with effort, and he propped himself on his elbows. He crawled around with his wand still in hand, but he couldn't see very well. It was quite dark out now. Some more lightning streaked over the treetops, and Draco stayed close to the ground, hoping to avoid it somehow. He had to get out of the forest; this was no proper shelter from a lightning storm. He glanced around him from his veiwpoint on his belly, and when the lightning flashed again, something caught his eye, under a bush. He thought he saw a person's head.

Spooked, he backed away. He watched the head. It made no movement. It's hair was soaked, pasted to it's skull, and the small bit of light from the lightning gave no clue as to who it could be, only that the hair was short. Curious, Draco neared the head again. He peered into the bush, hoping to see the person's face. Crackling lightning broke the darkness again, and Draco cried out.

It was Lestrange. He was covered with blood down the front of his body. His clothing was shredded, and his eyes and mouth were wide open in horror. Draco could see the source of the blood; Lestrange's throat had been torn open. "Nooo!!!" Draco screamed as he violently shook the cadaver. "You can't be dead, you fucking bastard! _I was supposed to kill you!"_ With his rage, Draco waved his wand and bellowed "Crucio!" But nothing happened. "Crucio, Crucio, Crucio!" Draco pounded on the body with his fists, the butt of his wand, anything to try and give Lestrange the kind of pain he deserved for what he had done to him. "Crucio, Crucio!" Draco repeated until he broke down in frustration and misery. It was useless trying to hurt a dead body; Lestrange was now beyond pain. Unlike Draco, whose hand burned from holding the defiled wand.

He stood up. Draco came to a realization in that moment. He had indeed altered the course of history. Lestrange is dead. Whoever his victims had been would not suffer the torture that he had. He would never go to Azkaban now... Suddenly, he began to laugh, wildly, hysterically, maniacally. The one thing he had feared would happen, has happened, and he had nothing to do with it. The bastard had been attacked by a werewolf!

Maybe it was the same werewolf that had attacked him at Hogwarts. Draco suddenly grew very quiet. He listened to the rain falling around him, and he heard through it footsteps behind him. He whirled around and saw the silhouette of another student, slipping in the mud to get away. Draco persued this person until he could get close enough to see Remus Lupin flailing about on the ground, trying to rise from the mud.

"Lupin! What the hell are you doing here?" Draco demanded. Lupin's eyes widened in fright; after all, Draco was covered with mud and blood, and his white-blond hair was pasted to his head. The only thing that seemed clean on Draco were his gray eyes, and they seemed to glow in the darkness.

"I didn't mean to do it. I swear, I... I couldn't help myself!" Lupin blathered. Draco was silent, at first wondering what the hell he could be talking about. He turned to look back in the direction of Lestange's body, and then, the pieces began to fall into place. The werewolf bite on Lestrange, and Lupin coming here. His own nearly-fatal run-in with a werewolf, after being locked up in a classroom with Lupin...

Without a second thought, Draco did the same thing he did the night before; his power flowed, not with his wand, but through mere thought. Lupin stopped struggling to get away, and instead grasped his head and screamed. To Draco, it was nothing. It was like smashing a grape. He barely heard the screams from Lupin before he collapsed again, his head splitting in pain.

* * * *

_Remember, if you don't tell me, I can't email you with updates. So there._


	28. SecretKeepers

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 28: Secret-Keepers

Remus couldn't quite comprehend what was wrong with him. His eyes were stinging, and when he wiped them, he saw blood on his hands. The pain, he could live with; he was no stranger to pain. But something else seemed wrong with him. Malfoy had done _something_ to him, and now, he had to get the Slytherin up from the mud and try to drag it out of him. "Get up, damn you!" Remus growled as he shook Draco furiously. Eventually, Draco's eyes fluttered open, and he turned over and vomited again. While Draco was heaving, Remus looked over to Lestrange's body. What the hell was he going to do with that?

"What are you looking at?" Draco asked weakly as he tried to stand. "You killed him last night. Don't they watch you or anything?"

"In the confusion last night...I just had to fend for myself."

"Well, we can see very clearly how well _that_ worked!" Draco spat, finally getting his legs to hold his body upright.

"What the hell have you done to me? I would have Transfigured Lestrange's body into something smaller to bury him, but I can't do that now! Why not? Did you do to me what you did to James and Sirius at the Quidditch game?" Remus demanded.

"Actually, it's worse. Much worse."

Remus fell silent. The first thing he was going to do when he got back to Hogwarts was tell Professor Dumbledore about what had happened. Just as he was about to open his mouth to say this, Draco held his hand up and said, "I know what you're thinking about doing, and if you do it, not only will you not get cured of what ails you, but I will make sure the entire school knows your secret. That you're a werewolf, and you're out of control, and you killed Lestrange last night. I'm sure his parents will love to see your ass nailed to a wall in Azkaban." Draco was still furious about the fact that Remus Lupin killed Lestrange instead of letting Draco do it, especially since he didn't know the whole story, but he had to be practical. Could he trust Lupin with his secret? "But if you agree not to mention this to Dumbledore or any other living soul, including your little gang, then I'll keep my mouth shut about you."

"I don't see how that's going to work," Lupin argued, "since it's not going to be long before someone notices that I'm not able to use magic."

"If you do exactly what I tell you, then you can be healed. And then we make the deal, Lupin. I help you, and you help me. That's the way we Slytherins do things. I hope that's what Gryffindors do too. I hope I can trust you," Draco said. "Agreed?"

Lupin gulped when Draco held his hand out. Feeling sick inside, and partially blinded by the blood in his eyes, he reached for Draco's hand and shook it. "Good," Draco began coolly. "First, we have to get rid of that!" He waved his wand, and Transfigured Lestrange's body into a pink rubber ball. Then, he made a spinning motion with it, and the ground under the bush formed a tunnel. He kicked the ball into the hole, and spun his wand in the opposite direction to bury the ball. His hand was burning from the wand's taint. "I'm going to have to do something with this wand..." he muttered.

"You seemed to have done the spell just fine," Lupin observed.

"Nevermind that. Let's get back to Hogwarts and get cleaned up," Draco ordered.

"Wait! You said you were going to heal me!" Lupin protested.

Draco thought about this for a second. Maybe he _could_ heal Lupin, but he wasn't sure. It was weird how he could do the Breaking part so easily, but not the Healing part. Also, as he started to reach out with the power with his thoughts again, Draco noticed that the part that he'd squeezed seemed to dissolve. Someday, when he finally comes forward and puts the collar on, he'll be trained to heal people.

"I..don't think I know how to do it, but don't panic!" he told Lupin as he saw Lupin ready to bawl him out. "I know someone who can. We have to clean up and get to him, now come on."

They made it back to Hogwarts Castle as fast as they could manage. The wind which had been kicked up before grew much colder. Draco was glad it was dark; he knew he must have looked a sight if he looked even half as bad as Lupin did! "Wait, we can't go in through the front door," Draco fretted.

"Don't worry, I know another way. Follow me," Lupin told him. At least the many times that he and his friends explored Hogwarts from top to bottom was finally coming in handy. He led Draco to one of the many secret entrances that they had found into the castle, and felt some small satisfaction in seeing Draco's look of amazement.

"Can you get us to one of the prefect's bathrooms? I know a password that will get us in one," Draco asked him.

Lupin nodded. "This way." It was a small passage, and Draco had to stoop over while following Lupin in the dark. He would have used his wand to illuminate the tunnel, but he didn't wish to feel the pain of the wand's taint again, and it didn't seem like Lupin needed the light anyway. He knew his way around the school just fine.

They came out behind a statue of a large eagle with it's wings spread wide. "There's one of them," Lupin pointed. They both watched carefully to see if there was anyone coming, and when it was determined that the coast was indeed clear, they both scurried to the bathroom door. "Scrubbing Bubbles," Lupin whispered before Draco could open his mouth. The door opened, but to their dismay, there was already someone in the tub.

"Severus Snape," Lupin sighed in despair. Severus turned around and frowned deeply when he saw these two invaders. Especially since they were so filthy.

"What the hell happened to you two?" he asked in a very Professor Snape voice.

"Ah, you're just the person we wanted to see! Sorry we got so dirty, but sometimes, you've got to dig into the trenches..." Draco prattled while Remus fumbled for a towel to blot his eyes.

"Digging in trenches my ass! You're full of blood and so is he! Now I want to know what's going on _right now!_ And don't give me any more of your excuses, just cut the shit and tell me why he's bleeding!" Severus demanded.

"Please Severus, you have to heal him. He's Burned himself out trying to defend himself against Lestrange," Draco said in a rush. "You need to heal him like you did with Professor Colton."

"Like hell I will! What makes you think I'm going back into a deep coma while trying to help this turd! And what do you mean, defending himself against Lestrange? You've seen him?" Severus demanded.

"Well, if you don't heal Lupin, I'm not telling you anything," Draco threatened.

"No way, I'm not going to go unconscious again. Uncle Aloysius already said he'd pull me out of Hogwarts if I don't manage to take my O.W.L.s!" Severus argued.

Lupin sunk down to the side of the huge bathtub. "Severus, I'm begging you to help me. You're the only person who can restore me. You know that if the tables were turned, despite our animosity towards eachother, I would look past that and help you," he said softly.

"Are all of you Gryffindors this stupid? I just said that even if I wanted to help you, I couldn't..." Severus snapped.

"Severus, I don't think that you'll go into a coma. Remember, you have that collar on your neck now. I'm sure that...people like you didn't used to go into a coma every time they healed someone. That would be just too impractical." Draco's reasoning seemed to have a small impact on Severus. His dark eyes glittered as he looked over to Lupin.

"Please, Severus," Lupin implored. Severus sneered, not because he wasn't inclined to help Lupin, but because he himself was so weak that he was feeling sorry for Lupin. After all, he was crying blood, for pity's sake! How could he not help him?

"You sure about this? He's not going to fuck up the rest of my school year, not to mention my birthday, with me healing him?" Severus demanded one last time. "Because if I wind up unconscious just one more time this year, I'll wind up in Bulgaria someplace. And I'll be really pissed..."

"Severus, just do it before I kick your ass," Draco growled impatiently.

Severus took a deep breath and gestured for Lupin to come forward. Lupin leaned as far as he could without falling into the bubbles. He held his hand up against Lupin's chest, like he had done with Professor Colton. But that was about the only thing that was similar this time around. The power flowed so easily that it seemed easier than thinking a thought, or taking a breath. And when it hit Lupin, it threw him back dramatically, but he did not pass out. As soon as he had started, it was over.

Draco had felt the surge, and he was fairly certain that others in the building must have felt it too, just like the last time. Thankfully, Lupin was fully alert, because he grabbed him and started heading toward the door. "Sev, you alright? We have to go!"

Severus had a very odd expression on his face. He was smiling, and not just any smile either. It was the kind of smile one has, Draco imagined, after having about a thousand orgasms at one time. He turned to Lupin, and saw a very similar expression on his face as well. He decided quickly that Severus was just about as alright as he was liable to ever get, and he dragged Lupin out fo the Prefect's bathroom.

"Where are we going?" Lupin wondered aloud.

"Somewhere they can't find us for a few minutes. How are you doing? Can you use magic again?" he asked quietly as they flew through the halls. As if to answer, Lupin raised his wand and iluminated the hallway. Draco finally stopped holding his breath, because he had been scared that Severus hadn't actually healed him. But Lupin was healed.

"Is there another Prefect's bathroom nearby?" Lupin asked. "We've got to get cleaned off!"

"No kidding...What time is it?" Draco asked as he looked at his own watch. It was eleven-forty five. "Let's get to the Astronomy Tower first," Draco suggested, and he immediately saw the look of doubt on Lupin's face. He could understand why. Could they even make it to the Astronomy Tower before midnight? They needed a place to hide for a short while, just a few minutes really. The last thing he needed was to get Dumbledore catching them looking like they did; full of blood and dirt from the Forbidden Forest. Lupin's damage was healed, Lestrange was dead, and there was no need to keep up this nonsense with worrying about getting caught being an uncollared Breaker. He had a plan, and it involved Lupin.

Meanwhile, Severus hummed to himself in the bath while he lolled in the warm, soapy water. He was quite mellow, even when Professor Dumbledore stormed into the Prefect's bathroom, even when James Potter followed him in too.

"Severus, what did you just do?" Dumbledore demanded.

"Washed behind my ears," Severus answered dreamily.

"What happened to him? I've never seen him like this," James said in a confused tone.

"He's done a Healing, I think. I'd have to check with my sources, but I think that now that Severus has a collar on him, he won't go into a coma after a healing, but a euphoric state," Dumbledore answered softly.

"Why is he wearing that collar, anyway? And who did he have to heal?" James asked Dumbledore.

"As for the first question, I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to say exactly why Severus must wear that collar, only that he must. As for the second question..." Dumbledore bent down and picked up a white towel with the Hogwart's crest on it. Along with the crest were blood stains. "Severus, who was bleeding?" he asked him.

"Hmmm... Draco Malfoy. I remember Draco Malfoy came in here not too long ago. I can't remember much else. Except he was really dirty. He probably came in here to wash up, but found me in here." James watched Severus with wide eyes. He was being so pleasant and so agreeable!

"Did you Heal someone tonight, Severus?" Dumbledore asked him.

"Let's just assume that he did. Malfoy came in here. Did you heal Malfoy? Was he bleeding?" James asked.

"I...don't remember." Severus sank back into the water. He could dimly remember Remus Lupin being in the bathroom as well, but maybe he actually dreamt it. Malfoy was yelling about Lestrange, he recalled that much. "I think it might have had to do with Lestrange. I think they found him! That's what it was!" Severus said.

"They? Who's 'they' Severus?" James asked.

"Malfoy and Lupin, I think. They found Lestrange and...Oh, damn it I can't remember!" Severus growled in frustration. His euphoria was completely dissolved, and now he wanted nothing more than to get out of the bath and find Lestrange himself so that he could end this nightmare.

But Dumbledore and James Potter were already ahead of him. They were on their way out the door. "Severus, please relax and finish your bath. Don't worry, we will find Malfoy and Lupin tonight if we have to take this castle apart brick by brick. If they are in danger because of Lestrange, we must get them out of it. Mr. Potter, you may wish to find Mr. Black to aid you in the search," Dumbledore suggested. Potter nodded and went in a different direction.

When they both left, Severus pulled himself out of the bathtub. He was disgusted with himself for lying to Professor Dumbledore. He remembered Lupin's bleeding eyes very clearly. How much did Malfoy have to do with it? What the hell was Lupin doing with him at all? Why was Lupin fighting Lestrange? He pulled on his robe, grit his teeth, and pulled out his wand. Lestange was a scourge that he was ready to destroy, as long as the opportunity came about. He prayed that it would.

**********

"It's clear!" Draco told Remus. The Astronomy Tower would be used soon; the weekly observation of the planets didn't end even if there was no class that day. "We'll have to hurry."

"What are we doing here?"

"Lupin, have you ever heard of the Secret-Keeper enchantment?" Draco asked.

"I know a little about it. Are we going to cast the spell here, now? Am I going to be your Secret-Keeper?" Remus gasped.

"Yes, if you value your freedom, you are. You're going to keep your mouth closed about what happened tonight. The spell will make it easier for you. Right now, Dumbledore is hot on my trail. I'm hoping that this spell, once it's cast, will throw him off. You will wind up knowing everything that he wants to find out, only, once the spell is cast, he won't recall that he wanted the information. Do you follow?"

"I think so. But does that mean that you'll become a Secret-Keeper for me, too?" Remus asked.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. If we did that, then no one would know that you were a werewolf. You'd wind up doing who knows what next month; I wouldn't be able to control you." Remus nodded silently, if not a bit reluctantly. "Fine. Then let's get started." Draco held his wand into the air, the taint of the wand surging through his arm as he charged it with magic. A mist began to fill the room. He began to speak. "I charge Remus Lupin with being my Secret-Keeper."

A thin, inhuman voice filled the misty air. "The Secret Must Be Spoken."

Draco drew a deep breath and began. "My secret is that I am a Breaker. I will not wear a collar to keep from drawing upon my power until I have revenge against all those who have trespassed against me!"

The voice spoke again. "The Secret-Keeper must speak the secret."

Remus, trancelike, spoke the exact words that Draco had said. Then, the voice commanded, "A Seal Must be Placed on the Mist." Remus raised his own wand now. Draco began sending individual strands of magical power into the air from his wand. Each strand was one of four different colors. Beams of red light wove around beams of blue, and beams of yellow wrapped around them, while adding green crosswise. The strands formed a sort of weave like one would do on a loom. But there were gaps. When Remus sent some strands into the air, the threads of pure white light were meant to fill the gaps.

This process took some time, and even more concentration. Remus was sweating from the effort, and Draco's head began to pound again. But, in a few moments, the threads tightened themselves into a powerful weave, and it lowered over the two of them. Immediately, each one felt a subtle bond to the other. "It is done," the voice concluded. The mist dissolved.

"Well, I'm trusting you with a great deal Lupin! I hope I don't live to regret it!" Draco said, frowning slightly.


	29. The Fate of Draco's Wand

Yes, I know, I'm biggest moron in the universe. But hey, how many other people do you know of that have picked up a story again that they seemingly have abandoned over a year and a half ago? Not many, I'm sure. Sorry for the overdue chapter!

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 29: The Fate of Draco's Wand

Draco and Lupin made their separate ways from the Astronomy Tower. He even managed to get back to Slytherin House and creep inside the bathroom there to clean up before Evan and Avery noticed him in his pyjamas, appearing like he was ready for bed. "Dumbledore's been looking everywhere for you!" Avery told him. "He even came to the House just to make sure you weren't here!"

"Well, maybe I'll just let him know that I'm alright, and that everything is okay," Draco groused. He wasn't very worried about Dumbledore prying the truth out of him anymore; the Secret-Keeper Spell should see to that. With Lestrange dead, maybe he could get his life back to half-normal...

He walked over to Dumbledore's office, and Lupin was there as well. "I heard that he was looking for us both," Lupin told Draco as they stood there. "I'm sure you're here for the same reason I am."

"I just want some peace and quiet for a while..." Draco said.

"I'm worried we won't get much of that with Voldemort around," Lupin frowned. Draco nodded slowly, and then Dumbledore's door opened.

"Where have you two been? We've been searching nearly all night for you!" Professor Foxworth and Professor McGonagall both glared at their students with more anger than relief at finding them alive and well.

"I needed to get out of here for a while; I wound up in the Forest, and I got filthy from the storm because I slipped in the leaves and...Lupin here found me, and he saw I was in a bad way, so he kindly helped me to the Prefect's bathroom," Draco started explaining.

Lupin held his tongue. They both looked up at the professors in the doorway, who seemed skeptical, but didn't press any further. But when Dumbledore himself appeared in the doorway, Draco's heart lurched. He had a grave look on his face.

"Mr. Malfoy, you and I need to have a small discussion," he said. "Mr. Lupin, you may return to Gryffindor Tower, and I want to thank you for coming to Draco's aid."

"Sure, Professor. See you Malfoy..." Lupin quickly left. Professor McGonagall gave eveyone a nod and departed as well. Foxworth glared down at Draco one last time before stalking off himself. And so, Draco was left facing the Lion himself.

"We need to do something about your wand, Mr. Malfoy. You cannot use it any longer without doing serious damage to yourself. The episode you had this afternoon proves that. I have consulted with Mr. Ollivander, the gentleman who created your wand, and he told me that it must be destroyed in an appropriate manner, and you must obtain a new wand."

Draco was so relieved that Dumbledore wasn't going to harp on about Rachel Lestrange's bleeding eye sockets that he almost laughed. However, he quelled the urge, and instead simply nodded. Dumbledore continued, "Mr. Ollivander will see you tomorrow evening, and you will get to his shop on Diagon Alley with Floo Powder. Until then, Draco, for your own sake, _do not use that wand!"_ Draco nodded again. "Very well then, off to bed with you. Try to take it easy these next few weeks; you have very important tests coming up, and you need to concentrate on them as much as possible."

"I know it well, sir. As soon as I have a new wand, I'll be able to resume my practice with Severus, provided that he's feeling up to it. With him being in that coma and all, I bet he's got a lot of make-up work to do too..."

"I believe that you and he working together will enable you both to catch up on whatever you need. But not tonight, and not tomorrow. Just rest tomorrow, Draco. I'll send for you when Mr. Ollivander summons you." And with that, Dumbledore watched Draco leave.

Severus was offically released from the hospital wing the next morning. A lot of students had lined up outside the doors waiting to see him. Most of them were Slytherins, but some were not. And one teacher in particular was there; Professor Colton was at the head of the line. As he emerged from the wing dressed in his school robes, his fellow Slytherins cheered loudly. Draco followed him right behind, carrying his extra stuff and beaming at the sight. Even the Gryffindor Four was there, which was a bit of a shock.

"You wouldn't believe the difference in Professor Colton's class!" Peter Pettigrew told him on the side when he had a chance. "We can actually _talk_ in class now! I even got an A on my essay on Viper's Bugloss!"

Severus rolled his eyes, and glanced at Colton. His aura was indeed just like a normal wizard, and a fairly powerful one at that. Colton's face had a smile on it, for the first time in Severus' school career, it seemed. "How about you, Lupin? How are your grades?" he asked with a smirk.

"Well, seeing as how I haven't melted another cauldron yet, I'd say things were going better..." Lupin admitted.

After Severus got swallowed up by the crowd, Draco inched his way over to Lupin. "How are you feeling today?" he asked.

"Actually, I'm feeling quite well, Malfoy. But I'll tell you someone who's not doing so well is Lily Evans. James told me about what you had told him. And then we went to Lily and asked her what was going on. Suffice to say..." Lupin made a strange noise, but then waved it off. "Don't worry; it's the Spell we cast last night. Anyway, Lily knows a great deal more about... Not everything, but enough to start putting questions in Dumbledore's mind again. And I want to mention that he's got a soft spot in his heart for her. He's not going to let her get into trouble for something that she had nothing to do with. It's just fortunate that nobody would suspect about the spell."

"Listen, if anything else progresses with Lily, you have to let me know immediately. We'll figure out something. Deal?"

"Deal," Lupin agreed.

Furtively, Draco and Lupin parted ways. It was odd how cooperative Lupin was being about this. It had become obvious what the Gryffindor Four were up to: each one of the others turned into animals in order to accompany Lupin to the Shrieking Shack every month while he changed into a werewolf. Dumbledore obviously didn't know about the other three being Animagi. He also didn't know that they were going to the Shack with Lupin. Maybe they just trusted Draco with the secret. Well, one good turn deserved another, Draco supposed.

"Sev, didn't you say you wanted to go to the Library?" Draco asked him.

"Uh, yeah. I do want to go there, eventually..." Severus said above the noise all around. "What was up with Lupin?"

"I was just asking him about some stuff," Draco answered.

Once Severus managed to escape the throng, he pulled Draco to the side in a quiet hallway. "We're still friends, aren't we?" he asked Draco.

Draco had to blink several times from the shock at the question. "Of course we are! Why would you ask that?"

"Because I notice you have been hanging around with that Gryffindor bunch lately."

"Sev, I know you hate them. For your information, they don't get along so hot with me either. But as it turns out, I've got several irons in the fire, and some of them involve them."

"How?" Severus asked, fidgeting with the gold collar around his neck. Draco averted his eyes from the collar, and Severus noticed. "Oh, I understand it now. It's alright, I shouldn't be surprised. After everything that's happened."

"What are you talking about?" Draco snapped.

"You can't help but blame me because Lestrange had been my friend once. If he hadn't been, he would never have..."

"Stop! Just stop! Not another word!" Draco felt the walls closing in on him. This whole damned thing was going to blow up in his face, he just knew it! Several irons in the fire, indeed! More like several dozen!

"I can completely understand why you'd blame me, I mean, if I wasn't so busy being...whatever the hell I'm supposed to be, a Breaker...I wouldn't have been in that coma," Severus continued.

Draco began to gasp for breath. "No, Sev, that's not how it is...Just, don't go!" Draco managed to choke out.

"You alright?" Severus asked him. "Don't tell me we have to go back to the Hospital Wing _again!_ I dont' ever want to see the inside of that place for the rest of my life!"

"Neither do I," Draco cried, even as he sank to the floor. He drew several deep breaths, and tried to calm himself down. "I just need to stay away from crowds for a few days, I think. And for your information, Severus, I don't blame you one bit for what happened. Rudoplhus Lestrange and his bitch sister made the decision to turn me over to Voldemort on their own. It had nothing whatsoever to do with you. Do you understand?"

"I can see in your eyes that there's more to this. I won't press it. There's no real point, just so long as you're going to be alright," Severus said.

"I'm a Slytherin. We're survivors. More than that. We're winners. I'm going to win, in the end, just because the stakes are high, and I'm backed in a corner. We work best with our backs to the wall. You know that. There's no way I'm letting what happened get the best of me. Even if I can't stand crowds for the moment..." Draco admitted.

Just then, a small owl swooped over their heads, dropping Draco a note. He opened it, and it was as he expected: Ollivander wanted to meet him tonight in his workshop in Diagon Alley. "Severus, my wand has to be destroyed tonight. I have to go to Ollivander. Do you want me to ask Dumbledore if you can come too?"

"If you want me there, I'll go with you," Severus agreed.

"Absolutely I want you to come with me."

"Then count me in." Severus smirked and added, "It'll be nice to get out of here for a few hours."

Draco sat on his bed in the Slytherin House dorm, re-reading his notes from the library. Severus had gone to look up information of Breakers, and Madame Pince actually volunteered to bring them into the Restricted Section of the Library to show him a book on the subject. Draco looked over his shoulder and jotted down notes as fast as he could write them. After all, he was a Breaker too, and he needed to know what the low down was.

He rubbed his forehead; another headache was coming on. But now, he knew that the headaches were from not having the collar on. He had to be more careful than ever. If Severus started noticing him getting migraines every night (since he never seemed to miss a trick), he might just put the pieces together.

Much more importantly, Draco now knew that there was another danger of having no collar on. A Breaker can't just run around Breaking people indiscriminately or so it seemed, without some dire natural consequences. The first time it happens, it's not too bad. The second time, the headaches begin. The third time... The consequences were too horrible to think about. Draco got up from the bed, and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He already looked terrible, like he'd contracted a wasting disease. Deep purple rings hung under his eyes. He looked like he'd lost about 20 pounds. Would his hair start falling out next?

Well, he'd have to not run into Voldemort. He had no reason to Break anybody else. He decided to wash his face and try to fix himself up somewhat. Evan and Avery treaded back into the dormitory and quietly repositioned their bamboo chimes. The noise from them roused Severus.

"What the hell are you doing with windchimes indoors?" Severus asked them.

"We just are keeping them here for good luck," Evan explained quietly, then they both scooted out before Severus could ask them what they meant.

"You know, I noticed that the furniture in the Slytherin common room has been rearranged." Severus frowned. "Have I been out of here that long?"

"It's not that bad, the rearrangement, I mean. I kind of like having more lighting in the corners," Draco said as he watched to see if his cheeks might get more color in them if he massaged them. After a few more moments of this, Draco sighed, deciding that his time had been wasted. "I have to go now."

"I'll go with you at least to Dumbledore's office. I still think it sucks that I can't go with you," Severus pouted.

"Don't be stupid; you know that the house is going to have a belated birthday party for you. You don't want to get bogged down with this depressing business. Save me some cake, won't you?"

"I'm not in a mood for a party!" Severus growled.

Draco downed a vial of potion for headaches in one gulp. "Sev, please!"

"Fine...I'll save you some cake. You look like you need more than that, though."

"Save me some chips, maybe a sandwich. And some butterbeer. Whatever you think I might like," Draco advised him. He didn't stop to watch Severus staring at the floor behind him.

Draco, along with Professors Dumbledore and Foxworth, popped into Mr. Ollivander's hearth around a half hour later. Mr. Ollivander, the little man with the big eyes that Draco only dimly remembered, stood in the middle of what looked like the neatest, cleanest workshop that ever was. For a few seconds, he glanced around at the shop; the raw materials for wand creation were packed in an almost reverent fashion along walls, under tables, and in crates and on top of shelves. A skein of unicorn hair was laid out on one table. A long hand drill was screwed into the tabletop, and coiled shavings littered a small basket placed beneath it. Rows upon rows of stains lined an open cupboard. A stack of empty boxes laid to one side under a window. Draco found himself fascinated by all this.

"Come outside with me, gentlemen." Mr. Ollivander opened the back door and led the three of them out into his small courtyard. In one corner was a large chiminea. It's fire was already lit, and under different circumstances Draco would have thought the fire was cozy. "Tonight, we have come here to put the wand of Draco Malfoy to rest. Once it was used to harm its master. It cannot be allowed to exist any longer under such circumstances."

Draco felt a little weird. It was like a funeral for his wand. Was all this really necessary? So it stung him in the hand when he used it now--big deal! Well, okay, it didn't just _sting,_ it actually broiled his entire arm. Ollivander held out his hand. Glumly, Drac handed him the wand. Ollivander laid the wand down on a small stone top table that looked more like a bird-bath, then took out his own wand. _"Priori Incantatum!"_ Ollivander cried.

_Oh crap!_ Draco didn't realize that they'd all have to go over what exactly had happened with the wand! The silvery smoke flew from the wand, like a rotten tattle-tale, telling everyone everything Draco had done magically in backwards order. "What is this? You buried a ball... no, you Transfigured something into a ball and buried it? And what the hell did you do before that?" Foxworth sputtered.

"You don't recognise that spell?" Mr. Ollivander asked Professor Foxworth.

"I do," Dumbledore answered for him.

"Well, I thought you would. But we have to continue with this; we can sort our everything else later," Ollivander told them all sharply, and with that, the spell continued it's damning work. But Draco was gateful for the extra time; he was sure he could come up with a good explanation for this too. But Dumbledore recognised a Secret-Keeper spell. Shit, shit, shit...

The Cruciatus Curse reared it's silvery head fromt he wand. Ollivander winced, as though he felt the wand going through some pain as it recalled the spell. Then another, then another. Draco had already forgotten just how many times Lestrange had used the spell. Foxworth looked pale. Dumbledore just looked at Draco. Draco felt like he was going to vomit yet again. "So many times," Ollivander breathed. It was the only sound coming from anyone in the courtyard.

Once the Priori spell showed the last spell that Draco had done before the wand had been used against him, Ollivander ended it with a clipped _"Finite Incantatum!"_ A few moments more were just that awkward silence that Draco had come to dread in these past few days. After that, Ollivander began to speak again. "I created this wand, not very long ago. As you may or may not know, Mr. malfoy, I recall every wand I ever create. I do not, however, recall selling it to you."

"Oh, that's a long story!" Draco sighed. "Two words; time travel."

Ollivander looked amazed. "When did you buy this wand?"

"Actually my mother bought it for me in 1991."

"Really? Now, I created this wand in 1969. It has no brothers. This is a fortunate thing."

"Why?" Draco asked.

Ollivander picked up the wand. "If it had any brothers, they would have turned against you as well. Since there are none, you will not have to worry, when you pick your new wand, that you will come across any of them." He handed the wand back to Draco. "You must be the one to destroy it. You must break it in half and put it into the fire of the chiminea there, once you have said your farewell to it.

Draco was only half-aware of Ollivander stepping back. Holding the wand one last time, he seemed to lose sense of all his surroundings. Instead, he was able to see his mother's face, smiling proudly as she handed him his new wand that she'd bought him while he was a Madame Malkin's buying school robes.

He remembered his first successful charm in Flitwick's class.

He recalled the jinx he'd placed on Neville Longbottom that gave eveyone a great laugh.

His heart swelled with pride when he thought of the Duelling Club, and his Serpensortia Spell that Professor Snape had taught him...

And then, the pain, like a devious phantom, that this very wand had caused him began to flood him once again. All the good, distorted hopelessly by the bad. Draco snapped the wand apart, it's dragon heartstring core glowing furiously at this outrage. He'd never seen it before, the core of his wand. It seethed in nasty green. Draco tossed the remains of his wand into the chiminea. Sparks flew from the top, and he took a few steps back to where the others were. The pain abruptly stopped.

"Yes, I see now that it had to die," Draco murmured. He didn't bother trying to wipe away any tears he felt on his face.

"It served you well when it served you, did it not? Now, you must begin a new chapter in your life, Draco Malfoy. And it will start with selecting a new wand," Ollivander declared.

"My old wand is barely ashes in the fire yet," Draco commented.

"It won't be much longer now. Perhaps if you wish to wait..." Ollivander trailed off, giving Draco more room again. Draco stared into the fire. The wand became a thin cinder with a snapping string turning the flames a bit green. A sudden mad thought filled Draco, to snatch the wand from the flames. But what good would it do now? It was too late. Just like it was too late for him. What was done was done. Was he a burning cinder as well?

He sank to the ground slowly and made a futile attempt to keep the tears inside. From this effort, his body began to shake, and then his chest began to tighten and burn. When the scream started streaming out of his mouth, there was no way to stop it, no way to make sense of it. Until the three men behind him began hearing "Voldemort" in the midst of it.


	30. The Fifth Marauder

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 30

The Fifth Marauder

_Nearly one month later..._

Severus and Draco had to work like mad to get caught up. Because Severus had been out of comission for so long, he had a lot of regular schoolwork to make up, in addition to preparing for O.W.L.s, so he didn't have the time to tutor Draco with Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Foxworth helped if he had a little free time, but had also advised Draco in that Remus Lupin might be able to give him some pointers as well. Draco decided to keep from Severus the fact that he was getting this kind of extra help from the Gryffindor. He thought Sev would get upset.

In return, Draco helped Remus with his Potions issues. James and Sirius got involved as well, "supervising" while Draco and Lupin were in the dungeon during study halls and free periods. Draco wasn't sure if this was the best idea; Potter and Black, after all, kept setting off dungbombs or Dr. Filibuster's Fireworks at inconvenient moments. They claimed it was helping Remus by making him better able to deal with distractions while concocting a potion. Draco was quite sure it was more to help themselves from growing bored. He couldn't understand why they found potions _boring._ It was outrageous.

One night, just before O.W.L.'s were to begin, Remus and James caught up with Draco just after dinner to tell him that Remus could not meet with him for extra Defense study. "Oh, right. Not tonight," Draco nodded.

Something obviously made James upset at hearing Draco's tone. In a moment, it occurred to him why. "Remus, you didn't tell him?" he hissed.

"No, he didn't tell me," Draco cut in. "I already knew. It's better if you don't know how I found out. Don't worry; I have no intention of saying anything. Lupin and I have an agreement. And while you may not think much of Slytherin honor, you should be glad that we have it," Draco said coolly.

Sirius and Peter appeared beside James. "Come on, Jim. We've got a long night," Sirius reminded him.

"Not so damned fast, Sirius," James growled. _"He knows about Remus!"_ he told him, jerking his head toward Draco.

"Well, how the hell did that happen? I thought we had everything covered!" Sirius spat, apperently as pissed off as James was.

"We do! He won't say anything, I know he won't," Remus told them desperately.

"Yeah, how do we know that?" Sirius asked him crossly.

"Oh, I have a way to keep him quiet," Peter suddenly. Surprised, everyone looked his way. "Remember when Julius Caesar was killed? They made each Senator take a stab at him. This way, no one couldn't claim they were innocent, and turn on their accomplices. So, all we have to do is make Malfoy here take a stab; we take him with us."

James was about to nix this idea, but after a few minutes thought, he turned to Sirius. "What do you think?" he asked.

"Is he able to hold it long enough?" Sirius asked Peter in a low voice.

"Long enough to stay in the Shack certainly. Probably long enough to last the night," Peter reported.

"Hmmm... Come to think of it, I haven't even seen your form yet," Sirius said.

"Maybe, but I'm not so sure this is a good idea. People will notice that I'm missing," Draco warned them. "Expecially Severus. He very rarely misses a trick. It's just a sign of how busy he is catching up that he hasn't made an issue out of my working with Lupin here." Everyone began walking away from the Great Hall, speaking in soft voices.

"Look, regardless of whether or not Malfoy goes, Remus _must_ get back to Gryffindor House soon..." James told them while checking his watch. "Foxworth will be there any minute, Remus!"

"Right... Well, see you later, maybe..." Remus breathed and hurried off. Peter tagged along behind the bigger boys, angling to get a word in edgewise while James and Sirius debated the wisdom of having Draco Malfoy accompany them.

"Y'know," Peter pointed out when he had a chance, "if Remus trusts him with the secret, why can't we? I'm aware of the trouble we could get into, but that's never stopped us before. And this way, we'll have another extra person with us, just in case we need him."

"You just want him to come because you feel like you're the one who got him to make the change in the first place," Sirius snapped. He seemed a bit peeved that Draco had managed the change while he was away for Easter.

"He doesn't want to go," James argued with Peter.

Draco wasn't sure whether he wanted to go or not. While it would be great to get out of Hogwart's for a few hours and blow off some steam, he wasn't sure that this was the best way to go about it. He wished with all his might that he could take Severus with him. But that was certainly out of the question; he wanted Remus to keep the Secret, and if he started blabbing to everyone about how Lupin was a werewolf, how could Draco expect Remus to keep his end of the bargain? Naturally, he couldn't even mention this to the rest of Remus' friends; they had no idea that Remus was a Secret-Keeper.

"I think we can trust him more if we get him to go with us..." Peter countered.

James considered this. He looked for all the world like he'd like to perform a memory Charm on Draco, but Draco already (thanks to Severus) knew the best way to counter the spell. It would cause a great deal of fuss in the hallway, alert a bunch of teachers, and cause a lot of awkward questions if James tried something like that. In the end, by the time they got to the hallway leading to Slytherin House, they made up their minds. "Okay Malfoy. You're coming with us. At precisely midnight, find a way to get out of the dorm and out into this hallway. We'll meet you here. You'll see Peter there," he instructed, pointing to a corner, "and you'll follow him out. If your form is small enough to not be noticed, use that."

"And what if I don't?" Draco asked, just to be ornery.

"You don't want to find out how it's going to be if you don't," Sirius answered. Then, they all darted off, eager to get back to Gryffindor Tower and wait until Remus was taken out for his monthly adventure. Considering how badly last month's had been, Draco realized that it might be one reason Peter was so insistent on having a fourth person helping out this month. Remus was getting harder to control.

Draco watched as everyone in his dorm got ready for bed except Severus. He was still out in the common room, studying. When it was five minutes to twelve, Draco got back out of bed, and tossed his Invisibility Cloak on. He tiptoed through the common room, and noticed Severus dozing over his Arithmancy book. With a twinge of guilt, he opened the door. It creaked a bit, and it made Severus stir a bit. Draco stood frozen in place until Severus resettled into a napping mode. Then, he left.

In the darkness, Draco could make out the shape of a small, fat gray rat in the corner. _It must be Peter Pettigrew,_ Draco thought. The rat watched the door of Slytherin House opening and closing, and then Draco noticed that Peter just started scurrying off. He wondered if Peter might have seen Invisibility Cloaks before. Just then, Draco bumped into something that he couldn't see, but heard "Oof..." coming out of nowhere.

"Oh, no way!" Draco hissed. He's bumped into someone else with an Invisibility Cloak! No doubt it was James and Sirius under the cloak. Sirius revealed his face. "We know you're in there, Malfoy! Say, if you pick up Wormtail there, we can get there faster. Go out the front doors and head for the Whomping Willow." Draco reached out, so Wormtail could see his hands. The rat leaped into Draco's grasp, and they all dashed off.

No one noticed someone else leaving Slytherin House, after tapping his wand on his own head to perform the Disillusionment Charm, following them...

Draco, James and Sirius waited until Wormtail scurried up to a knot on the Whomping Willow's trunk and pressed it. "Alright, guys. Time to change..." James announced. Sirius turned into the black dog, James into the stag, and Draco felt himself meld into the ferret shape. _"In this form, I'm Prongs. He's Padfoot. The rat is Wormtail. And the wolf will be Moony. You need a name..."_ James told Draco, in that strange way that animals talk to eachother.

As Draco scampered through the underground passage with the other Marauders, he tried to think about what his name could be while he was in animal form. Nothing came to mind as they resurfaced in the basement of a bedraggled building. They all emerged from a trap door, then Prongs glanced around. He seemed to glance behind him and gave a peaceful blink. Padfoot emerged next, listening and sniffing the air. Wormtail skittered into the next room. Draco struggled up out of the trapdoor, and transformed into his human form again in order to climb out more easily.

Prongs came back down to Draco. Draco could still hear the animal speak, even though he was in human form. _"Werewoves attack humans, not other animals. That's why we change. Moony may be here already. Hurry, change back!"_ Draco didn't need to be told twice; he did his change again. He didn't want another run in with a werewolf unprepared; there were no books to throw at him in this place.

Everyone followed Padfoot upstairs, and they found Remus Lupin sitting there at the kitchen table. In surprise, Wormtail popped his form. Peter sat ont he floor, asking "Hey, weren't you supposed to change already?"

"I suppose it's a late moonrise..." Remus sighed. Then, he saw Draco's ferret form. "Oh, he did decide to come! He's a ferret! But what are we going to name him? Oh! I know! We'll name him _Snowy!"_

Draco popped his form at that comment, and his face grew quite red. _"Snowy?_ Are you fucking kidding me?"

Peter and Remus sniggered. Sirius and James popped too. "Yeah, ha, ha guys! Peter, Draco? You mind getting back into form? The moon has risen a half-hour ago..."

"Oh," Peter squeaked, then Wormtail made his reappearance. _"I'm hungry,"_ they heard him say.

As James resumed his form of Prongs, he answered, _"Soon Wormtail. We'll be able to go to the sweets store, and we can nibble there."_ Draco, as the ferret once again, still found the simpler thought process of the animal form uncomfortable. Especially since the name _Snowy_ was starting to sound even remotely reasonable. Watching Remus, he sniffed the air with his tiny pink nose. Wormtail scampered over to his side, and sniffed as well.

Padfoot approached Remus, cocked his head as dogs tend to do when they are trying to figure out something, then looked out the kitchen window. The moon was full and bright, streaming beams through the ragged curtains. Prongs joined his friend by the window. Padfoot leaped up, resting his front paws on the windowsill. He tail wagged in anticipation. Wormtail and the ferret started making rounds throughout the kitchen, usually ending each lap by Remus' feet, sniffing them before beginning their pointless chase between the table legs once again.

Some more time passed. Padfoot settled by Remus' feet. Prongs gave his deer-stare to Remus, then resumed his vigil of the moon. By now, the ferret had grown tired of his lap running and drooped in a corner, feeling a little cold. Wormtail sent a single thought that they all heard loud and clear: _"Bored!"_

Sirius reappeared first, and everyone else followed suit. "Moony, what's going on?"

"I...don't know." Remus went over to the window, looked at the full moon. "There's no way that it could be the wrong night, could there?"

"Not if Foxworth came and got you," Draco answered. "How much chance would there be if not only all of us, but also Foxworth making the same mistake? I'd say less than zero."

"Have you ever, um, skipped a month?" Peter asked.

"Don't I wish!" answered Remus.

"I've heard of the Blue Moon, where the full moon rises twice in one month. But I've never heard of month where it skipped..." James said, shaking his head.

"Um, Jim, I hate to tell you, but the moon does not ever skip a month," Sirius pointed out.

"No shit, Sirius, really?" James asked in an exaggerated tone.

Then, as if zapped by a jolt, Sirius seemed to wake up. "Hey Jim? What time is it, anyway?" he demanded. He pulled James' wrist over to him eyes. "Holy shit, it's almost three in the morning!"

For a long moment, no one said a word. Then, in a low voice, Peter finally said it. "Maybe he's not going to change..."

Sirius' eyes flew open. James' jaw dropped. And Remus clasped his hands under his chin, as though praying. "Dear God, do I dare hope..." he whispered. Peter gulped. Draco shifted uncomfortably.

"Damn! I never even got to Zonko's!" Peter complained. "You guys used up all of my spare reserve of dungbombs!"

"Yeah, don't I know it!" Draco sniffed.

"Hmph, you must think we're a bunch of morons..." Sirius said to Draco, who was tipping back his vial of headache remedy into his mouth.

"Oh, think nothing of it," he said after he swallowed. "I had wanted to get out for a little while anyway."

"There's not enough time now. Foxworth will be here to get me in a little while," Remus told him. Draco checked his own watch. Oh, yes, he remembered last month, very well. While he was laying in bed in the Hospital Wing, Foxworth had dragged Lupin in around four in the morning. They had to be get of here, and back into their dormitories, before Foxworth got here. It took about twenty or so minutes to get from Hogwart's to the Shrieking shack; and about ten minutes to get back into the dormitories from the Whomping Willow.

But, if that timetable were correct, then that means that Lupin should definitely have turned into a wolf and back by now. Draco went over to the window. He could hear Remus behind him getting up from his chair at last and settle on his knees on the wooden floor. It sounded like he was back to praying again. "Please, God... just a little longer."

Another half-hour passed. Remus remained human, unbelievably, the entire time. Sirius and James started a very lively debate about how such a miracle could have taken place. At first, it was lost on Draco as to how such a thing could have happened either.

"Well, something must have happened! You don't just grow out of it! I've done research on it!" James announced.

"Yeah, I'm the one who helped you find the books, Jim!" Sirius pointed out, clearly unamused. In fact, he seemed almost pissed off. Well, in a way, Draco couldn't blame him; their night was ruined because Remus Lupin didn't change into a werewolf. Pretty ironic, that.

"James, there was absolutely nothing in those books about any cure. This must be something beyond our knowledge," Sirius then said. Draco kept silent. He glanced at Lupin, just to make sure that he hadn't grown a hair since they left the castle. Peter was probably right; Remus Lupin has been cured. And he was starting to get a sneaking suspicion that he knew _exactly_ how this happened. And despite his silence, the panic was starting to roll over him. The shit was really going to hit the fan now...

He could feel Remus' eyes on his back. It wasn't going to take long for Remus to make the connection as well. And how long will he keep the secret then? Remus had kept it secret from his friends about the Breaking. They also didn't know that Severus had Healed him. But they weren't going to accept the "miracle cure" explanation. Neither was Professor Foxworth, or Professor Dumbledore. Draco began to pace between James and Sirius, trying not to step on Peter, who was seated on the kitchen floor near Remus. How the hell was he supposed to know that Breaking and Healing would cure a wizard of lycanthropy? Who the hell would have thought it?

Sirius cleared his throat, and Draco spun around to glare at him. "We have to get back to Gryffindor Tower..." Sirius said.

"Not so fast..." a voice, all too familiar, called out. Draco narrowed his eyes; he could just make out a strange silhoutte that blended into the surroundings, like a human chameleon.

"Severus!" he gasped.

"Yep." With a tap of the wand on his head, Severus reappeared before them.


	31. It All Comes Out

A Dark Corridor

Chapter 31: ItAll ComesOut

"Severus! What are you doing here?" Draco gasped.

"Hey, Sirius! He can do the Disillusionment Charm!" James said, impressed.

"Well goody for him!" Sirius frowned. "What are you doing here, Snape?"

"I wanted to see if you were leading Draco into some sort of trouble," Severus answered.

"No trouble here," Peter squeaked, edging away from Severus' foot.

Severus was getting ready for an all out full blast tirade. "You would think, for someone who is as sick-looking as you've been lately, that you'd at least stay in bed for an entire night. Look at you! You make Remus Lupin look healthy! I guess it's too boring to stay inside the building at night, is it?"

"We made him come here. He had no choice," James told Severus.

Remus leaped to his feet. "Everyone! Professor Foxworth will be here any second! Severus, you need to get back to Slytherin House with Draco; after what you did for me, I can't let the two of you get expelled!"

"What the...Oh," Severus frowned. "Oh that!" He recalled when he'd healed Remus in the prefect's bathroom last month. "I hope you didn't tell those two gits about it!" Severus demanded sharply.

"Tell us what?" Sirius demanded.

"Out! All of you! Hurry!" Remus urged them. Draco didn't need telling twice. He draped his Invisibility Cloak over himself and Severus, while James did the same over Sirius and himself. Peter made his change into Wormtail, who Sirius picked up.

"Let's go!" James whispered loudly. Draco saw the trapdoor open up downstairs through the veil of the Cloak; he knew James and the others have already gone down into the passage.

Abruptly, Draco tapped Severus on the shoulder. "Let's stay here; they can't see that we didn't leave. I want to see how Lupin handles this..." he said quietly. Severus didn't say anything, but sat down on the packed earth floor. Draco sat next to him, making sure the Invisibility Cloak covered them both up completely.

"What's he supposed to be handling?" Severus asked him. Before answering, Draco heard footsteps coming up the passage under them. They both sat in utter silence as Professor Foxworth emerged from the trapdoor. He glanced around, had his wand out, as he walked up the stairs to the kitchen area. He left the door open behind him, so light streamed down and they could hear everything.

"Looks rather neat in here. You weren't out all night again, were you, Mr. Lupin?" Foxworth queried.

"No, I was here all night, just like I was supposed to be. But Professor, I didn't change..."

"Now, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? Of course you changed. You were just neater about it than usual. Weren't as destructive...why would you start lying to me? Especially about something so absurd?"

"But I'm not lying! I think I've been cured!" Remus cried.

"Remus Lupin stop acting like a little boy! You know as well as I do that there's no cure for lycanthropy!" Draco heard Severus gasp; he nudged Severus into silence.

"Professor Foxworth, if you had been here, you would have seen it! I sat here all night, staring at the moon, and nothing!" Remus protested.

"Remus...I know that you wish that it were true with all your heart..." Foxworth began.

"Don't you understand? My father, he's a Muggle, he...left. Because he couldn't deal with the fact that his only child was a _werewolf._ But now, if I... if I could tell him that I'm not a werewolf anymore, maybe he might come back."

"Mr. Lupin, I have to take you to Professor Dumbledore's office. I can't have you talking this kind of nonsense. It's obvious that you've taken leave of your senses," Foxworth sighed.

"Maybe to you it's nonsense! To me, it's my life! Sure, I looked normal most of the time, but no one had any idea what was going on underneath. No one knew just how much I'd put my life on hold. I could never try out for Quidditch, instead I had to watch my friends and live vicariously through them. And it wasn't just with Quidditch! I had to watch them flirting with girls, knowing all along that I didn't dare go near one," Remus shouted. Draco thought he could hear tears in his voice.

"Mr. Lupin, let's go," was all that Foxworth said. Remus angrily stomped down the stairs with Foxworth following close behind. Once they were gone, Draco took the cloak off.

"Well, that's it; he's going to Dumbledore. I'm so screwed now..." Draco trailed off.

"Why? What does his being cured of...Lycanthropy! My head is spinning. How could Dumbledore have taken such a risk? But, that's for another time," Severus said. "I'm confused."

"Oh, fuck it already. What's done is done. We've got to go to Dumbledore's office too." In confusion, Severus followed Draco down into the secret passage. When they got to the Whomping Willow, Draco made his transformation into a ferret and pushed on that knot on the tree trunk, so Severus wouldn't get killed from the branches. Once Draco scampered under the Cloak once again, he resumed human form, watched Foxworth and Remus go into Hogwarts.

"Let's go. If you want to come up to his office with me, fine," Draco told him.

"We're all going to get expelled, aren't we?" Severus asked fearfully.

"No, but I might have something even more dangerous to deal with than that. See, Severus, you're being protected. The Ministry knows about what you are. I don't have that protection," Draco told him as the entered the castle.

"Protection from what?" Severus asked.

"Voldemort. He doesn't know that you're a Breaker. If he ever finds out what you are, he'll come after you. Believe me, you're going to have Aurors surrounding you as soon as you step off the Hogwart's Express," Draco explained.

"Yeah, ready to whisk me off to Azkaban. But I don't see why you're so worried...I don't think Remus Lupin understands...What is it that's eluding me? Why can't I figure it out?" Severus asked in frustration. The Fidelus Charm was what was keeping Severus from figuring the rest out. It was keeping Voldemort away from Draco, because Voldemort didn't recall the fact that he's witnessed Draco Malfoy Break someone.

Instead of explaining anything else, Draco just led Severus up to Dumbledore's stone gargoyle. "Jelly Bean," Severus said, and the gargoyle took them right up to the doorway of the office. Draco draped the Invisibility Cloak back over the two of them.

"Professor Dumbledore, I swear it's true. I never changed into a werewolf last night," Remus was explaining as they got there.

"Mr. Malfoy! Mr. Snape! I don't recall inviting the two of you up here," Dumbledore frowned, standing up behind his desk. Draco took the cloak off himself and Severus.

After giving Dumbledore a look, Draco announced, "I can vouch for the fact that Remus Lupin didn't change into a werewolf because I was there. And there was a reason I was there, too. I had a feeling he wouldn't change. Because...I did something. Last month."

"Last month, Mr. Lupin definitely changed into a werewolf. I'm not even going to get started into asking you how you even know he's a werewolf, how you managed to accompany him last night to the Shrieking Shack, or how you know whoever else is involved. I just want to know what you did, right now!" Foxworth demanded.

"Actually, I'm going to have to ask Remus Lupin to tell you the story. I can't do it; we placed a Fidelus Charm last month. Only he can tell it, since he's the Secret-Keeper." Draco glanced at Severus, who was making a face. "I couldn't make you the Secret-Keeper, Sev. You're too close to the situation. You'll see why in a minute..."

"Mr. Lupin, what is Mr. Malfoy talking about?" Dumbledore asked him quietly.

"If I'm going to tell Professor Dumbledore the truth, he's going to have to get the whole truth. I mean, my part in it too," he said with his voice cracking. Draco nodded, and Remus began. "Last month, on the night of the full moon, when Voldemort came to the castle--yes, I know he came here--there was a lot of confusion. I found myself escaping from the Shack early on.

"I headed for the Forbidden Forest. I knew that would be, even in my wolfen state, a place where I might be able to run free where I might not hurt anyone. But, as it turned out, I met up with a human that night..."

"Oh, no! Remus, who was it?"

"I didn't know at first. In that state, all I thought of was blood, and needing human blood..." A silence descended on the room. Remus was shaking as he continued. "The next day, I remembered that I'd encountered a human in the Forest. I snuck out to go there and see if I was right. I guess you could say I was returning to the scene of the crime.

"It was pouring rain. When I got there, I saw someone else there...Draco Malfoy. He'd found the body of the one I'd attacked. And he wasn't too happy with me. It was Rodolphus Lestrange..."

Severus shot up from his seat as if someone had sent a charge through the chair. "Son of a Bitch! He was _mine!_ You got to him before me!"

Dumbledore, appearing a bit shaken, said to Severus, "Mr. Snape, please sit down." Severus did so, and glanced at Draco, who had a drained look on his face. "Please tell us what happened after that, Mr. Lupin."

Draco held his breath, while Remus continued, "When I reached him, he was not in the best mental shape, I must admit. I don't think he was quite himself. I don't exactly know what went down between Lestrange and Malfoy, but I'm sure it wasn't good. But he...he sent some sort of power through my head, it crushed something inside. I felt my magical powers dissolve right then and there..."

Dumbledore, Foxworth and Severus all wore looks of the purest shock. "You mean to tell me that..." Foxworth breathed.

"That Draco Malfoy Broke me? Yes, that's what happened," Remus answered.

"You're lying! I know you're lying because I saw you use magic in my class just yesterday! Explain that, won't you?" Foxworth hissed.

Remus smiled broadly. "Well, that's where our freind Severus comes in."

Severus managed to get his gaping mouth working long enough to say, "What did I do?"

"Don't you remember? We raced to the prefects bathroom after we figured out what Draco had done by accident. He knew you'd be able to heal me, and you did. You healed me quite admirably, I might add. You even healed the lycanthropy..."

"I _did?"_ Severus gasped.

"Impossible! I...I've never heard of such a thing!" Foxworth breathed.

"Draco, did you Break Rachel Lestrange?" Dumbledore pounced on him.

"In order to get away...yes. She was holding me in a Body Bind Spell...I was able to break her connection with Rodolphus by distracting her, and then...it just happened. It was the easiest thing in the world..." Draco admitted.

"Did anyone know what had happened to her?" Dumbledore asked.

"Voldemort knew. He and Rodolphus raced out of there like bats out of hell. Rachel ran too, but I think that somewhere between that empty classroom and the secret passage Voldemort obviously used to get in here, she decided she didn't want to live if she couldn't do magic anymore. I think she committed suicide, myself."

"If I hadn't been brought to Severus when I was, and I hadn't been cured, I'm sure I would have done the same thing eventually," Remus commented.

"Does this mean that Lily isn't in trouble anymore?" Draco asked. At last, Dumbledore smiled.

"I do believe that there's enough evidence to clear her completely." Severus sagged with relief. "But I don't see how Remus Lupin will be able to keep himself out of Azkaban."

"Are you joking? After what Rodolphus Lestrange had done?" Severus growled. "If Lupin hadn't ripped him apart, I would have, I swear that before the Lord and Lady!"

"Well, the thing is, I didn't even know it _was_ Lestrange until the next day..."

"Oh, damn all you Gryffindors, having to be so damned honest! Let me tell you something, straightaway. If you're feeling guilty about killing him, let me assure you, he was doomed after what he had done to me. And probably would have done to countless others, as well. If you hadn't gotten him, I know for certain others would have suffered. In my opinion, there's no reason for anyone to go to Azkaban."

"As much as I'd love to agree with you, there's Lestrange's parents. They'll have to accept the fact that their daughter committed suicide, but their son's death will not go unavenged," Dumbledore stated sadly. "I don't want Mr. Lupin to be sent to Azkaban, either."

"Then, Headmaster, I say it's high time to start thinking like a Slytherin.

"I can produce the body of Rodolphus Lestrange; it will show beyond a shadow of a doubt that his throat was ripped apart by a werewolf."

"Draco, what good will that do? Then they'll know I did it! Enough people know I'm a werewolf in order for them to make the connection..." Remus fretted.

"Oh, really? Then let them prove you're a werewolf! Let them put you out under the next full moon and see if one hair grows on you! Which you know, won't happen! But, everyone knows that you _can't_ have been a werewolf a month ago, but not be one this month, right?"

"God what a gamble I'd be taking! What...what if I _did_ change again next month?" Remus asked fearfully.

"Not bloody likely!" Severus cut in. "After all, once _I_ heal someone, they stay healed. Just ask Professor Colton..."

"Speaking of which..." Dumbledore interrupted, "Mr. Malfoy, you need a collar put on immediately. Do you have any idea what risks you were taking with your life by keeping the collar off? It's no wonder you've been so ill these past months!"

"Professor Dumbledore, I thought if I could keep the collar off, it would keep Voldemort away, because he'd be afraid that I could Break him if he threatened me," Draco confessed.

"That is precisely why I'm placing both you and Mr. Snape into my custody as soon as I can get it approved by the Ministry of Magic. I cannot allow the two of you to become Voldemort's next victims, and having you under my supervision will assure me that you both will be safe."

"Can you imagine it though! Two Breakers! After going nearly five hundred years without one! The Ministry might want to take them both into it's custody, Professor Dumbledore. I've heard the talk about Snape. And with Malfoy's extenuating circumstances, they're sure to want him in their custody as well." Foxworth said, shaking his head.

"Not if I have anything to say about it..." Dumbledore said gravely. "There are those in the Ministry who, as you should well know, cannot be trusted. Mr. Lupin and Mr. Snape, I have this for you..." Dumbledore went to his vast cabinet behind his desk, where he had all sorts of mysterious items. He pulled out two vials and handed one to each of the two boys. "This is a rather potent pepper-up potion which I rather think you might need, considering that in about two hours time you will be starting to take some very important tests. After you take these, you both need to go back to your Houses immediately. I will be sending you owls with any developments as they come about. Mr. Malfoy, you are to remain here until someone from the Ministry can get here to put a collar on you. And whoever is coming here had better get here fast, as you've got a few tests to take yourself."

Draco watched Severus and Remus down the vials, and after swallowing them, their eyes went wider than they've probably ever been. "Well," Severus said to Draco, "at least I won't be alone now..."

"No, that's true. You won't be alone now. Although, there is one thing that sucks about all this. My master plan to take a broom to Tijuana has to get scrapped, doesn't it? No José Cuervo, no tequila, no hot chicks doing lap dances... Yep, it's gonna suck," Draco sighed.

Dumbledore gave Draco a very steady look. "Now you see why I have to keep them in my custody. Especially this one. Yes, I have a feeling this is going to be a very interesting summer, Mr. Malfoy. A very interesting summer indeed..."

This concludes, at long last, _A Dark Corridor._ What happens next? Keep an eye out for the next story in this series, _A Dark Passage!_


End file.
